Spelled
by Backroads
Summary: Mimi lived the enchanted life of a sorcerer's daughter. Until she got a wicked stepmother who sort of took over the castle and turned Mimi into a goose. Very inconvenient. Retelling of "Dwarf Longnose".
1. In Which There is a Prologue

"How much further?" The boy slid the basket from one arm to another, turnips rolling against the warped reeds. The sound was an oddly loud crash amidst the near silence of the town's north side; dwellings and shops were far apart, clinging to only a charter declaring them part of the town.

The old woman did not stop her steady limp. The thumps of her feet had long ago fallen into a rhythm with the knocking of her staff. Her head, hardly rising above her squat body, turned to smile at the boy. "Not far, my lad. Though I must say I am impressed with your stamina."

He tried to return to the smile. "I've never been this far." He was no more than twelve or thirteen, tall for his age but as gangly as expected. A shock of brown hair covered his eyes. They were gray, and blinked nervously as he pushed the hair away.

"It's a good time to see the world, youth is." The scent of lavender wafted from her dark cloak. The smell was as the herb should be, clean, and utterly out of keeping with the rest of her appearance. Her head was as a misshapen vegetable from the boy's family garden with a long nose sprouting like a vine from her face and eyebrows akin to caterpillars. Filthy fabric covered the rest of her body to give no more appearance than a stumpy bulk. "You should it think it an adventure."

"I do," said the boy, though a hint of fear could not hide itself. "No one goes to this part of town."

"That's silly. People live out here."

"Yes…"

The old woman smiled. "Ah, I curse my own generation. Filling your head with stories of bad fairies. Am I right?"

He nodded. The vegetables spilled about in his basket. "I'm supposed to get back to my mother's stand soon."

"Just a little further. You were very kind to carry my purchases so far."

"Thank-you."

The old woman's knobbed fingers slid down her staff as she hummed a quiet tune to herself. "Not much further." Her voice was singsong. "I live just outside of town…"

CHAPTER 1

Mimi was born and raised in a dark and crumbling castle in the middle of a supposedly enchanted forest. Fortunately, the castle was held together by a plethora of spells cast by her father, who was a mighty sorcerer by the name of Weatherbold. Mimi was never sure if that were her father's true name or one he had taken for reasons of image, but she had always liked the name; it was impressive. Her mother had died when Mimi was three years old, barely old enough to remember the kind and brave woman who had tragically died whilst hunting cougars. So it was just Mimi and her father in the dark and crumbling castle. Oh, and the many visitors.

Weatherbold's knowledge and power was known for kingdoms around. More days than not saw all manner of folk begging at the castle for spells and potions and charms. Weatherbold was a pleasant man and always happy for the business.

As for Mimi, the visitors were a constant source of delight. She loved to read and the castle held more books than that love. Books were better than bread to her. But it was not the pages themselves but what was written on them. Stories, reports, information of all kinds. Visitors were simply another source of the similar.

Occasionally there was a king's assassin or a stuffy courtier who would avoid Mimi. But she was not an ugly girl. Her hair was hyacinth yellow with just a touch of curl, her eyes large and green, a smattering of freckles over her cheeks and nose. Most were charmed by her and more than willing to share what stories they knew.

Books of natural and unnatural science filled up plenty of castle bookshelves and Mimi liked them fine. It was the other things the travelers told that fascinated her. Weatherbold was too powerful a sorcerer to give heed to any king were the castle actually in a kingdom's boarders, so tales of kings and queens and princes and princesses were like gold. The princes were all brave and handsome, the princesses beautiful and tragic. Fortunately, the latter were all saved by the princes. Sometimes truly exciting things happened to these people. Though Mimi had trouble imagining someone who knew magic being evil, apparently they did happen. Princes and princesses were trapped, put under spells, and sometimes turned into a lovely bird like a bluejay or a swan.

As Mimi grew older, she lost the pure joy of hearing these tales. She still liked to hear them, but they were not fair. Or life was not fair. Here she was, a sorcerer's daughter who only knew a spell or two. Had she been born a princess exciting things would happen to her. She still loved the visitors, still loved talking to them. But once they had what they needed they were off to have whatever sort of adventures that required an advance trip to a sorcerer. The supposedly enchanted woods were not for playing, and Weatherbold was too busy to ever leave the castle.

Things were all right. Mimi loved her father and he loved her. But when there were no visitors, they rather left each other alone. He would go to his workrooms to practice his magic and she would read or study the plants that grew around the castle. Invisible servants took care of meals and cleaning. It was a good system and Mimi was happy enough.

But it still seemed unfair that she had not been born a princess and thus subject to all sorts of great adventures. Nothing romantic like that ever happened to sorcerer's daughters. The idea of being a sorcerer's daughter should sound exciting, but the truth was that it was rather dull.

In fact, things only became interesting when Lavender appeared.

Lavender was a pretty woman with long black hair who came like all the others travelers. She was seeking a cure for some medical complaint or another, but she never left. Something happened when she and Weatherbold saw one another.

Mimi was not quite sixteen years old when she found herself with a stepmother.

Stepmothers were mentioned often in the stories Mimi heard, usually for bad. However, nothing seemed to go wrong. Mimi had no particular ill feelings toward Lavender and she did not sense any of the same from her. Besides, Mimi was used to running her own life, so as long as her father's new wife minded her own business there was no reason three people could not live happily in the old castle. And that is how things went. Weatherbold and Mimi married, had a small celebration, and then went on about their own lives. There was some adjustment, but otherwise Mimi's life was the same as ever.

At first.


	2. In Which There are Spells and Squirrels

One sunny afternoon eight months after the wedding Mimi sat on the sturdy limb of a maple tree to reread for the fifth time a book of local plant life. She was barely three chapters in when Lavender appeared at the bottom of the tree.

That was odd, though Mimi. Lavender was breaking the unspoken code of leaving her stepdaughter alone.

"Mimi," Lavender said in a sweet voice. "What are you doing?"

Was it not obvious? "Reading."

"Why?"

Mimi shut one finger in the book. "Why are you asking?"

Lavender smiled. "It's about time to start dinner."

That made no sense. The invisible servants did all the cooking. "Fascinating." She returned to her book. This was a very odd conversation.

"Aren't you going to help prepare it?"

"Why would I do that?"

Lavender's smile shook. "Mimi, I think it's time for you to learn certain domestic skills your dear father never bothered to teach you."

Eight months and suddenly this. Mimi sighed, closed the book permanently, and met Lavender's eyes. "What domestic skills?"

"You're approaching a marriageable age. How can we hope to marry you off if you are incapable of running a household?"

Mimi was speechless. In all her fantasies, actually getting married had never come up. Any small musings of anything close somehow involved the life she had here, including the invisible servants who did everything for her.

"Come down here," Lavender said.

Mimi obliged, slipping down from the tree in an unladylike fashion. For the first time since the wedding, she was embarrassed in the presence of Lavender.

But her stepmother's smile was now strong. "I only apologize we did not do this before."

Mimi could only nod. It was such a strange departure. She was actually doing something with her stepmother. It did not seem bad. Now that Lavender mentioned them, cooking skills were indeed something useful to have. But the situation certainly was odd.

Lavender led her into a room Mimi had never seen before—the kitchen. It had an oven and a wash basin and several smooth tables and all kinds of knives. And it smelled strongly of food.

"So this is where the food is made," she said for lack of anything else to say.

"Yes," said Lavender with a laugh. "My poor, dear girl. When I was your age I was in charge of preparing at least one meal a week."

"But my father has servents—"

"Magic." Lavender shook her head. "Useful magic and I am impressed with Weatherbold's skills. But it's just a trick. Don't worry, you're not taking their place. You are just going to learn how to do a few things in the kitchen. We'll begin by shelling peas."

Shelling peas? Mimi looked around, wondering just how she was supposed to begin this mysterious task. Peas grew in the garden, that much was known. But after that…

"They were just brought in from the garden." Lavender pulled a small basket bursting with peas from under the table. "Here. Just break open the pod."

Shelling peas turned out to be rather enjoyable. The invisible servants left her alone while she worked. Later on, Lavender showed her how to boil them with a bit of butter. Within two weeks, Mimi could bake bread. Not very good bread, but it was edible and Lavender seemed proud enough. Mimi liked working with her. The tasks of cooking were hard, but it made sense to learn them. Soon, Mimi was learning cleaning, washing, all sorts of useful household tasks that for so many years had been the domain of the invisible servants. Mimi wasn't a servant, of course. She was merely a girl learning proper woman things, so Lavender said. They were certainly were novel.

At first, Weatherbold didn't like the idea of Mimi working. "No daughter of min was raised to be a servant." He would run his hand through her hair, something he had done since she was a baby. She liked it. It made her feel safe.

"Father, I'm not a servant," Mimi would respond.

Lavender would laugh. "Mimi's mother died too early. I'm sure she would be teaching Mimi the exact same things."

"I suppose you're right," Weatherbold would finally say before returning to his dungeons.

As time went by, he spent more and more of the day there. Fewer and fewer travelers were coming to ask for things.

But Mimi was busy learning woman's things, the tasks of running a household. She hardly thought a prince would be impressed by such things, but practical was practical and she wasn't a princess anyway. She was learning them and had no time to notice how her father was always working and how visitors were fewer and further inbetween.

She didn't even notice how the invisible servants stopped doing their tasks.

By the time she realized what was happening, it was too late.

* * *

The morning was overcast. Mimi could feel the gentle weight of the clouds even before she opened her eyes. She did not mind. Overcast days were more interesting than others. She pushed the sleep away with a few choice words—morning was morning and up was up—and rolled from her bed onto the floor. Barely sunrise and clouds had made their mark. Usually she would have made some prediction of the day's fate but today she did not bother. She merely stretched, switched from her night dress to an old blue work dress, and gazed sleepily into her dusty mirror.

She was eighteen now, had been for several months. Her hair was still as yellow as ever, but the curl had developed into a constant and impossible series of kinks falling to her waist. Oh, well, who cared? She tied it into a thick, messy braid and called it good. That cute little girl of so many years ago had lost a fair amount of cuteness over adolescence. It was not as if Mimi considered herself ugly or even especially plain. It was just that old wishes of becoming a princess did not do much good in the matter of beauty. But again, oh well.

There were chores to be done.

Mimi slid her feet into some old shoes and headed down to the kitchen. She soon had a fire going for boiling water. Then she grabbed a basket and headed out to the herb garden.

In some ways, maybe some of her old princess dreams had come true.

Mimi was under a spell.

It was not a particularly obvious spell; after all, it had taken her several years to even become suspicious. Her wicked stepmother Lavender had taught her a few domestic skills. Mimi had caught on. Soon she could care for half the castle on her own. But why was she doing this? In the beginning it had been fun and unique, even romantic in a way. Then she came to her senses and realized the daughters of powerful sorcerers had no earthly for reason for needing to clean anything. So why did she keep doing it?

Lavender had been clever in casting the spell, that was for sure. Princesses were usually subject so spells much more dramatic. Maybe there was something to be said for something so sneaky as to keep a girl cleaning and cooking for years before she caught onto anything.

Weatherbold was also under a spell. Working and studying and all else in his precious dungeon. Mimi had not seen him in weeks. He loved his work but she knew perfectly well he loved her enough to at least make an occasional appearance.

Mimi was not gifted in magic, not like her father. She did not know how to go about breaking spells.

And that left her helpless to do anything but pick mint from an herb garden on a cloudy morning.

She had always liked herb gardens. Weatherbold, before he had all but disappeared, had allowed them to grow haphazardly about the castle for convenience's sake of grabbing what was needed when it was needed. Disorganized, yes, but Mimi was able to put up with it. The task of picking, sorting, and drying all fell upon her as well did pretty much everything else, and this little burst of the wild was a treasure. She liked bending down to the earth, wrestling leaves away from their plants, even the way the end of her braid trailed in the dust.

Her basket was barely lined with mint when she saw something rather strange.

A squirrel.

Now living in the middle of supposedly haunted woods did make the appearance of a squirrel rather un-extraordinary, but squirrels were not the kind of creatures to sit and stare at one for long periods of time. This one stared at her. Not out of the usual woodland creature curiosity. It stared at her and she stared at it and it stared back at her. She had the feeling it had been watching her pick mint for quite some time.

"Hello," she finally said, feeling rather stupid. Then again, there was no one else around for conversation.

The squirrel lifted one paw and distinctly waved.

Mimi gasped and dropped the basket. This was not normal. Even though the forest was supposedly enchanted, she had never heard any stories of enchanted squirrels waving or giving any other sort of human greeting.

The squirrel hopped closer to her, refusing to break the stare.

Mimi backed away. She must be seeing things. She must have accidently breathed in one of her father's potions. Or perhaps she had merely misinterpreted the squirrel's movements. It certainly could not have waved.

Then the squirrel did something she could not rationalize. It picked up a stick. It placed one tip of the stick in the ground.

It traced, quite distinctly, the word RUN.


	3. In Which Mimi Becomes a Goose

A single three-letter word lying there in the soil. Mimi stared at it, then found back at the squirrel. Oh, my. An enchanted squirrel.

The squirrel had to be enchanted. Or something. For now he pointed one furry little paw at the word.

"Run," Mimi repeated. "Run where?" The castle was surrounded by trees and Mimi had never left the place anyway. The idea was terrifying. Her, lost in the woods, with only a brilliant squirrel as help. And that was if he joined her.

The squirrel pointed again.

While she knew, more or less, she had been under a spell, it was quite another entirely to think about it for a useful period of time. A spell. Of course. Of course she should run. It was not at all intelligent to be the one hanging about suffering when one was not a princess fated to be rescued. But Lavender's spell was subtle, that much was certain. It only made sense that if she were to be subtle as well… How incredibly stupid was she? She should have realized this long before a mere squirrel told her what to do. She had to get to her father. He was only the most powerful sorcerer for kingdoms around.

She reached her father's door before any spell of Lavender's held her back, but just before her fist made contact with the door it stopped. This was wrong and Lavender would not like it. A fairy spell. Wow. For years she had been under the spell of a fairy. No, she could not consider how exciting that was! She had to dismiss the sudden excitement and giddiness and she had to knock! She forced her hand back and forth once more, twice more, but nothing happened. She wanted to cry.

She sullenly returned to the kitchen, the incident with the squirrel seeming more like a dream with every step. She had bread to bake and the herb task had been horribly interrupted. She slumped over the table and stared at the dough. She was under a spell, knew about it, and could still do nothing. Never mind the sheer simplicity of the spell. There was nothing she could do and there were chores to be done. For example, the fire was going out.

As Mimi turned to the fire, an idea slowly formed in her head. It had been quite some time since she had realized she was under a spell. In the beginning of that knowledge she had tried to fight the spell, by refusing to do things, but Lavender was so slow and cunning in the spell that Mimi had run out of the obvious. Exactly what did the spell forbidding her from doing?

She grabbed a broom and stuck the bristles into the fire. With her makeshift torch blazing she ran back to Weatherbold's door and proceeded to light it on fire. Her firemaking skills had suddenly come in handy. The door was of old wood and the surrounding was stone. Soon enough the entire door was ablaze.

Apparently Lavender's spell had not thought of preventing that. The spell wanted her to go get water and not just to put out the flame. Cooking required water. Ah, to cook a pot of soup on a dungeon door.

Weatherbold was easily lost in his own world, but after about five minutes the flame instantly vanished. Half the door was gone, and through the charred hole was his stunned face.

She nearly gasped. He looked like he had not slept since she had last seen him. Dark circles framed his eyes, which looked like full moons in his sunken, unshaven face. But they found their way to his daughter, and it was several seconds before they widened in recognition. "Mimi?" he said dreamily.

Mimi couldn't speak. She just threw his arms around his waist.

"Mimi?" he repeated. "What's going on?"

She pushed away from him and stared up at his face. "How long have you been working?"

His mouth moved slightly. "I…"

"When was the last time you slept?"

He shook his head. He seemed like he had been jolted. "I don't remember. I was studying something. It was so fascinating, Mimi, you would have loved to see it, and…"

Apparently Lavender's spell could have been fought, because the next thing he said was "Lavender."

He took the liberty of opening the door through which Mimi could easily step. "Come in, Mimi. We need to talk."

He was back to being the father she remembered, determined in whatever he was working. There were at least seven cauldrons boiling out multi-colored steam, but he marched right past them. When he could walk no further without running into a shelf he turned. "A spell." Yes, he was aware. "A spell. I can't believe this. A spell cast right on me."

Mimi nodded. How silly they had both been!

He pointed a finger at her. "You said something once. I know you did."

"I said something five times," she corrected. It was the truth.

"See? A spell. I don't even remember those." He shook his head, fortunately looking more alive. "My drink. Every night. She took it back to the kitchen to put something in it."

She quickly told him about the squirrel. He seemed utterly at peace with the idea of a literate squirrel. "The squirrel sounded urgent," he said. "We had best move soon."

"What are you going to do?" Mimi asked.

"I've studied hard," he said. "I'm sure I can outwit a fairy desperate enough to marry a mortal."

"But she's your wife."

"Mimi, I have never loved anyone other than your mother. Or you."

She found herself smiling. "I love you, too."

He began tearing books off his shelf. "Clearly, I have a terrible way of expressing it. Letting this happen to you. How long has it been?"

"Two years," she said hesitantly. "At least."

He looked sick. "I am so sorry. When I married her I didn't know…"

"Father, neither of us did."

He finally selected a book. He threw it on the nearest table and tore it open. It was an old dusty thing, not particularly thick but covered in scrawling print and drawings. "I know I can…"

The spell still tugged at Mimi. Not strong enough to get her back into the kitchen, but it did give a realization. "Father, she's going to be up soon."

He looked up at her, face determined. "Meet me at noon, when she's eating. Outside. I should be ready by then."

"What are you going to do?"

"You're my daughter. I'm going to get you somewhere safe. Until then, act as if nothing had happened."

"But I burned your door."

He snapped his fingers. "The door is fixed. Get going."

Mimi's heart pounded. She wanted to run and scream and do a thousand other things. But somehow or another she got herself back into the kitchen. By the time Lavender was up and about, she was pulling fresh bread from the oven. The kitchen was swept, dishes were soaking, and a load of laundry was set to be washed.

Lavender ate well enough. Mimi never exactly studied her while she ate. She did not know how to tell if Lavender were eating or acting out of character. All Mimi could feel was her pounding heart and the exhilaration that soon Lavender would be out of their lives.

Thank-you, Squirrel. Wherever he was.

Lavender finished her breakfast. She left to do whatever she did. Mimi washed dishes, cleaned, laundered. She weeded and watered the gardens and set out mouse traps. She hung wet clothes out to dry.

If Lavender were a fairy, couldn't she do her own chores?

But Mimi was done. This was going to be the last day. Perhaps not the traditional story, but exciting in its own way.

And, if she had understood her father correctly, she would finally be leaving the castle.

She fixed lunch for Lavender. Roast peasant with bread and glacier lily salad.

"It looks delicious," she said. "You are becoming a most accomplished cook, Mimi."

"Thank-you," Mimi said demurely.

"Perhaps you would like to join me?" That was not an unheard of request. Sometimes she pretended she was congenial.

"No, thank-you. The weeds are especially fierce today and I can't let them take over my beans. You know how beans are."

"Yes, they can be quite temperamental. Good girl to think of it. Well, I'll be eating this, so don't let me keep you."

"Thank-you." Mimi turned, headed to the kitchen, and then outside. The spring air was warm and the sun was bright. She took a deep breath and waited for Weatherbold. Hopefully he would come soon.

The minutes marched by. She became anxious. She stared into the garden to count the plants. Name them. It could calm her. Finally, footsteps sounded behind her.

"Father, I—"

It wasn't her father. Before Mimi could even think Lavender's surprisingly strong hand was clasped over her mouth. Her hand was not empty. Many things, small, hard things, were forced into her open mouth. She tried to spit them back, but Lavender was powerful and they were small enough to swallow. At one point Mimi bit at Lavender's fingers, and some things spilled. Lavender choked her hand around Mimi's wrist and quickly scooped up the fallen. She tried to tear away, but the things were forced down her throat.

Except…

Except out of the corner of her eye she thought she saw the squirrel. He stared at her, terrified, but in his paws was a little seed she did not recognize. She wanted to call out to him, but at that moment Lavender threw her to the ground.

She found myself too weak to get up. "Where's Father?"

She smiled wickedly. How could she ever have been considered beautiful? "That is no concern of yours, is it? You have your own right now."

Mimi stared at her arm. It was turning a pale shade of grey. Tiny lines scaled through. She tried to scream, but a strange sound came out, something inhuman. And she was shrinking. Soon her dress fell around her. Her bare skin tickled as it became ridiculously soft.

"You were a goose to think you could sneak around my back," she said. "So that is what you will become. A goose."

"I hate you!" Good, she still had her voice.

"I don't care. I hope you enjoy your new life."

Mimi was fully a goose by then. It was an entirely unique experience and she was not sure how else to describe it.

It had been an incredibly weird morning.


	4. In Which We Properly Meet the Squirrel

And that was that. What else is one to say about a sudden transformation into a common barnyard animal? Mimi supposed she was less amazed than others would have been, what with being the daughter of a sorcerer and all, but it is still unsettling to no longer be in one's own accustomed body. With near curiosity she flapped her wings . The strength of the wings surprised her. She snapped the bill that had replaced half of her face. It was a horrible, toothless thing. With a sudden explosion of rage she dived at Lavender.

But in a display of omniscience Lavender stepped out of harm's way, laughing at her own little joke.

And tragically that is when Mimi discovered she had very little control of this new goosey body. The flat feet slid under her.

"I hate you!" Mimi screamed. "Where is my father?" Yes, her father. He was powerful. Everyone knew that. He would certainly fix this mess.

"Your father, my rotten husband," Lavender replied smoothly, " Is momentarily indisposed. He is in no position to help his nasty little daughter."

Mimi's heart froze. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't think that is your concern right now, darling. You are not very attractive as a goose, I'm sorry to say. Then again, you never were in your human form. Perhaps this is better."

Mimi twisted her long neck around to stare in horror at the white-splotched mass of grey feathers that was now her. And no, it was not an attractive shade of grey. She wanted to cry. It was awful to be so ashamed of a how she looked when the crucial problem was that she was no longer human. "I don't understand."

Lavender tossed her black hair back and stared thoughtfully at the sky. She wore deep blue today—it did not match well with the outdoors. "Well, Mimi, I had never truly considered punishing you. I don't think you realize just how wise and powerful your father is. You were just something that got in the way. But I dealt with you well enough."

Mimi attempted another attack. In vain.

"Good thing I did not transform you into something with teeth. You certainly have the spirit." At least Lavender's smile disappeared into a scowl of disgust. "I am so glad you will not be wandering around her long." And with that she gave Mimi a kick with her foot.

Mimi fell to her side, completely at a loss for how to get up, and before she could do anything else Lavender scooped her up in her arms. "By the way, your father won't be meeting you."

"What did you do to him?" Mimi doubted she would answer the question this time, but when one has been magically transformed into a goose one tends to become rather persistent.

No, she did not answer. She did not even speak or laugh. Finally, exhaustion over took Mimi and she went limp in Lavender's arms like a partially full bag of flour.

"Good girl," she finally said. Her voice was soft, as if Mimi were a baby she actually cared about. "It will be much easier to transport you this way."

Where was she taking her? Mimi cursed herself for not having the gumption to fly away when she had the chance. And then do what? What good would flying away do?

Without another word, Mimi's evil stepmother took off down the path from the castle, black hair flowing behind her. It must have been a lovely scene, a pretty woman carrying a goose in the woods. How domestic.

It was ironic. Mimi had always wanted to leave the castle and venture out into the world and fate had decreed she would have to leave as a goose. The trees twisted around us, tall and green and smelling like nothing she had ever smelled before. Or maybe her senses were sharper as a bird. Before long the trees gave way to a truly pastoral scene of open sky, a dusty road winding through the countryside. There was the occasional small house, a few passing citizens who bowed to Lavender.

The oddity of the situation! Mimi was, in some small way, excited. She had never seen anything like it. People. Open sky.

Of course she then considered the terror of her situation and began to panic. She had been put under yet another spell and had been abducted and who knew where she was being taken. At least it was during this time that she had the brilliant revelation that perhaps she should scream for assistance from one of these nice, folksy farmers. Yes, that might result in a lot of screaming as no one was as accustomed to magic as Mimi, but maybe someone smart enough would get over the oddity and do something. Like what? Lavender was a fairy, a powerful fairy that would probably turn her would-be rescuer into a toad.

But that didn't work. She tried it on the first intelligent people she saw: a woman and her two children. Mimi opened her mouth and screamed "Help!"

She expected screaming or shock or pointing fingers or something, but all the woman did was nod politely at Lavender. "You're traveling an awfully long way with that goose, aren't you, ma'am?"

True statement. Fairies must have energy unknown to humans. They had been traveling for hours. Lavender smiled "I grew up with this. No mind. I'm bringing the goose to a woman who lives outside of Ralwood."

The woman laughed, pulled a finger from her son's nose, and said "Well, then, have good day."

"A wonderful day to you as well, ma'am." Why was Lavender now so ridiculously polite?

And they kept on walking. As soon as the woman and children were out of sight Lavender gave a little laugh. "They can't understand you."

"What? You can understand me." Mimi seemed to be speaking intelligibly enough.

Another laugh. "Yes, I can. But to everyone else you are just the gabbing of a goose. I'm not that stupid."

So much for that idea. "Who is this woman outside…?"

"Ralwood? A peasant woman. She raises geese. You will have a lovely time with her."

"What does she raise the geese for?"

Lavender gave a nasty little smile she did not particularly like.

"You're going to make money off me?"

"I don't care about money, Mimi. She won't notice one goose more or less. Now hush like a good girl until you arrive at your new home."

It was like a story. But never one she had wanted. If a princess were turned into an animal, it was something lovely. Not a goose.

She did not even have the nerve-wracking, never-ending time toward her fate. She was supposed to suffer, dread. But no. Soon civilization appeared in the form of a sparse grouping of little farms. Dusk was approaching, bringing with it the usual amount of night-time bugs. Mimi felt a small urge to eat one but her human mind fortunately succeeded. There, nestled in the evening shadows, was a little wooden hut next to a fenced yard of… geese. Stupid, noisy geese.

"Your new home," Lavender sang. She waltzed up to the fence and tossed Mimi over it. Don't even think of escaping. Actually, it won't matter. You'll be under this spell either way."

Mimi thought fast. What had all the traveler's stories said? "The spell. How do I break the spell?"

Lavender raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Mimi stared at her as menacingly as a goose could possibly stare. "All spells can be broken."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Children these days. You think everything is so easy. No, not all spells can be broken by a kiss or something stupid like that. Where did you hear such moronic ideas?"

"Travelers," Mimi answered with much less confidence.

"Figures." Then, after hours and hours of carrying a goose, she disappeared into the air.

Mimi was thrilled to see her vanish. Time to begin her escape. Geese could fly. This would be no trouble at all. There was only one small problem. She had no idea how to fly. She flapped her wings. But nothing happened. At least, nothing important. She against felt the strength of her wings. She felt what they were supposed to do. But that supposed to was not quite happening. Several times she managed to get a foot or so into the air only to fall back in surprise.

It was late by the time she finally gave up. Stars dotted the sky, but she did not bother to look for any new constellations. The other geese had curled up and she finally plopped down next to them. She wanted to cry. She was a goose. She could not fly. She had no idea what was going to happen to her.

Things became more complex several hours later. Much more complex.

As she sat there, pitying herself, she changed. The goose feathers melted into skin and there she was, a human Mimi sitting stark naked in the middle of a goose pen.

It was a miracle. Some spell Lavender had cast. The timing was terrible. She climbed to her feet, a little humiliated at the lack of clothes, but no one was around.

"Mimi!"

Great. Back to normal and someone had already spotted her. She covered herself as best she could and sank back to the ground, blushing.

The squirrel from that morning sat on the fence, staring at her with huge eyes. She was not sure if she should feel ashamed in front of a talking squirrel.

"You!" she hissed. "You talk! What are you doing here?"

"I followed you," he replied, stretching out his arms in a rather human fashion. "I want to help you!"

"Help me by finding me something to wear. Why didn't you talk earlier?"

"You couldn't understand me then. Now you're under a spell." He nodded his head toward some clothing forgotten on a clothesline. "There's those."

"I'm not under a spell," she said. She again wondered what the squirrel thought of her being naked and hopped over the fence for the first old dress she touched. "I'm me again."

The squirrel shook his head. "At the moment."

"What do you mean? Lavender messed up on the spell. It's over already."

"She had a small interference, that's all. You couldn't understand me if the spell was over. Trust me. I've seen this spell a dozen times." He held something up in his paws. A seed. The seed he had grabbed from Lavender. "If I'm right, and I think I am, you have one hour to be a human. At least you have that much over Lavender."

"One hour? No!" She slipped the dress over her head. It fit as well as she could have hoped. "How do you know this?"

"That's my guess," said the squirrel. "I'm sorry, Mimi but that is how it is. It's an herbal spell. 24 seeds to turn you into a goose. One for each hour of the day. I got one."

It was all too logical. "But I don't want to be a goose!"

"I'm sorry. But I'll find a way to help you. I promise."

She sighed. "My hero is a squirrel."

"Is that a problem?"

"After this day… no." She shook her head. "Thank-you. I truly am grateful. I just…" The tears that had been kept back all day spilled out. "I don't even know how to get back home."

But to the squirrel's credit, he waited patiently for her to stop. She dried her eyes on the dress sleeve. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's been a terrible day. I'm sorry I couldn't get you out of that castle earlier."

"Why do you want to help me?"

If squirrels could show cockiness, this one did. "Please. Do you think you are the only that has suffered under Lavender? She's cruel and has more enemies than she probably realizes. Kind of sad, in a way."

"What did she do to you? You're under a spell if I can talk to you."

The squirrel's tail twitched. "I… I would discuss your situation."

She sat down again. "What should I call you?"

"By my given name, if you could. It is Blake."

"Blake the Squirrel. I like it."

"Thank-you. Now, I can't stay long. In an hour, if I'm right, you'll turn back into a goose until two o'clock in the morning tomorrow. Such a random time. Then again, everyone will be asleep and thus miss your…" If squirrels could blush, Blake did.

"You have a point," Mimi said miserably.

"I'll find you again. I have to leave. Just don't let yourself get killed or anything."

"What?" She felt sick. "I was hoping Lavender was just teasing and—"

"Mimi," Blake said. "You're a very clever girl. You will be fine. You have taken care of yourself for years and you can do it now."

That nearly sent her crying again. "Thank-you, Blake."

"Now I have to leave. Stay here. I'll come back tomorrow. Don't leave. Good luck and I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he scampered off.

"I don't want to stay here!" she called after Blake. But he did not respond.

She sat down and shivered. The night was cold. She wanted to trust Blake. He had warned her this morning. But she did not want to stay in that horrible pen with the geese.

She hoped Blake was wrong, but in less than hour she was a goose again. She was not surprised. That was the saddest part. But what Blake had was encouraging and intriguing. He had to leave, did he? She fell asleep that night theorizing that Blake was a handsome prince transformed into a squirrel, bound by the same rigorous time frame.


	5. In Which Mimi is Sold for Dinner

She hoped Blake was wrong, but in less than hour she was a goose again. She was not surprised. That was the saddest part. But what Blake had was encouraging and intriguing. He had to leave, did he? She fell asleep that night theorizing that Blake was a handsome prince transformed into a squirrel, bound by the same rigorous time frame.

"Good morning, my chickies!" A shrill voice tore Mimi from a rather romantic dream involving herself and Blake. She blinked wildly, and flailed at the blankets she expected as a covering. No blankets. The sun forced itself into her eyes along with a sharp memory of what had happened. For a moment she hoped it had all been a dream, but there she was. A goose. A silly goose dreaming about a squirrel. Good grief. She looked up into the round face of an old, plump woman with a pink cloth tied around her face. The stupid geese around her honked, and the old woman smiled. "We're off to market, dearies! Perhaps one of you will end up the Duke's dinner tonight!"

What? Market? There was not supposd to be a market! Blake was returning to help her out of this mess. Mimi flapped her wings again with thankfully more power than the day before, but to her horror the woman grabbed her around the neck. It was not enough to choke her, but it hurt and Mimi gasped.

"No, no, my dearie," said the woman. "None of that behavior."

Mimi did not want to be eaten.

A rickety little cart sat outside the pen. The cart was filled with cages, and an old mare stood in front of it, ready to contentedly pull. And the woman had a large cane.

"Don't you dare!" Mimi screamed as soon as the woman released her neck. "I will not be eaten!"

But it had begun. Mimi tried to force herself away, but the gaggle let itself be herded into the cage. She flapped and flapped her wings and almost had something akin to liftoff, but the stampede of geese chased by a cane had her squashed most uncomfortably against the cart.

"You are misbehaving!" the woman said.

Mimi just wanted to know what she intended to do. Hit her over the head? Mimi was supposed to wait for Blake and she was not going to be sent to a market to be eaten! But there was no injury. Instead, the woman scooped her up firmly and held her against her chest. For a plump old woman, she was strong. Then she walked to the mare, grabbed the reins and used her other arm with the cane to shoo the rest of the geese forward. Mimi fought all she could, but the woman was a rock. Probably had dealt with wayward geese before. And like so many lemmings the old woman herded her gaggle toward a city, high grey buildings rising like the gates of death. It was utterly humiliating. Mimi wanted to run. She wanted to peck the old lady's eyes out. But it was not her fault. She was just doing her business. And she had no idea the goose she carried as an innocent girl.

They entered the city, the dirt road suddenly giving way to cobblestones. Walking into the city was bursting into a storm of sound. People were everywhere. Mimi had never seen so many people at once, moving and talking and laughing. Part of her wanted so much to watch them. The fear left her, even the thought of Blake left her.

"Elva!" A woman shouted from the crowd.

The old woman carrying Mimi stopped and turned. "Gretel! Good to see you. How is your flock?"

Gretel, a tall, skinny thing with hair down to her knees, laughed. "A more common market for business than yours!" Gretel, too, had geese, chattering and honking next to a pile of cages, completely unaware people intended to cook them.

Elva chuckled. "I don't live in town and can't spend every day here! I have geese to raise!" She marched on, finally stopping at a clear little spot near Gretel. She did not let Mimi go.

It was a terrifying morning. Mimi felt the heat of an oven every time someone glanced in Elva's direction. People came, picked geese, paid for them plus a cage, and walked away, the dumb creature having no idea what it was in for. Mimi should have felt safer at not being picked, but logically it just meant that she was a better choice each time a customer came about. Really, Elva could not expect to sell her entire gaggle today. It was impossible. This was just her inventory.

Then she heard a gasp from Elva, as well as from several other ladies selling geese. Instinctively Mimi turned to see the source of the fuss.

There, coming toward us, was a creature out of a nightmare. Or at least a story. It was a dwarf or a goblin, or something similar. It was short, barely above four feet, with green-tinged skin and thick brown arms that hung to its skinny knees. Its eyes were small and dark, but gleamed like the very fires of hell. Its nose was a long and curved hook and its mouth curved from giant bat ear to giant bat ear. Despite these looks it dressed like one of the richer travelers that had visited Father, fine cloth stretching over a humped back and a broad-rimmed hat with a buckle over its head.

The dwarf made his way over, examining each gaggle with interest. "Good day, ladies."

"Good day, sir!" the ladies echoed. It was as if they would claw each other to meet the hideous creature that kept walking until he stood just before Elva.

"Ah, my dear Elva." It was difficult to describe his voice. The best way was to say his voice matched his clothes more than his body, but was still not quite refined. "I haven't you seen you here in weeks!"

She gave a clumsy curtsey. "The geese need to be fattened up, sir!"

"Well, I am happy to inform you that they are. Unlike you, Elva."

Elva giggled like an idiot. "You flatter me, Dwarf Longnose."

What an appropriate name.

"I would never dream of flattering you. I speak only the truth." He clapped his gnarled hands together. "Now, the Duke has requested roast goose tonight and it's always wise to have one for backup so I believe I will be taking… three. Because you have earned the business."

Mimi did not want to be roast goose. She froze in Elva's arms. Perhaps she would be seen as a pet?

Dwarf Long-nose took his time looking at the geese. Twice he pointed to a goose and asked Elva to put it in a cage.

Only one more left.

Please don't be me, Mimi silently begged. Blake had wanted her to be careful. Blake had also wanted her to stay back at Elva's home.

"That one will do. It looks exceedingly healthy. Not that the rest don't. And spirited, if you must hold it."

Of course he was pointing to me. And there was nothing Mimi could do but let Elva shove her into a cage. Her heart pounded as if it would burst. Shewould probably die before even arriving at the Duke's.

After he had finished paying the still-blushing Elva, Dwarf Long-nose hoisted the cage onto his humped back. He was quite strong considering his size. Then, with Mimi's fate on his ugly back, he trotted off.

The two other geese were terrified, probably because they did not like being in a cramped rather than in fear of their futures. They flapped their wings and carried on and continually bumped into Mimi. She could not move. This could not be happening.

She felt sicker and sicker the further they went. People traveled around, completely ignorant of her fate though many were sure to greet that stupid dwarf. What had he done to become so famous and respected?

Soon, a large manor came into view. The Duke's.

She panicked. She had to say something. He wouldn't hear, but she had to say something. "Think about cooking me and I swear I will slit your throat!" Normally she was not so violent a thinker, save when it came to Lavender, but the idea that the ugly dwarf couldn't understand her was a help.

The dwarf screamed and let go of the cage. All three of us geese shrieked as the cage smacked against the cobblestones. Mimi had landed upside down. When she righted myself, there was Dwarf Long-nose staring down.

"Did you just speak?" he asked.

She nodded. "Yes." Then, as an afterthought, "Please don't kill me."


	6. In Which Mimi is Presumably Saved

An eternity seemed to pass while Mimi and the dwarf creature stared at one another. Every ounce of blood within her little goosey body was churning through her head along with a strange mixture of bravery and the most terror she had ever before felt.

"You did speak," the dwarf finally said.

He was too surprised to be a threat at this time. She summoned more courage. "Yes, I am a magical talking goose and will make sure whatever you do to me comes back tenfold."

The dwarf blinked its tiny eyes and looked around. The road to the manor was, thankfully, empty save for the two of them and the other stupid geese. "A magical talking goose? Really?"

Mimi was taken back. Any shock the dwarf was in had melted into disparagement. "I mean it! I will kill you. My father is a powerful sorcerer and he will certainly have his revenge."

"How can you kill me if I've already killed you?"

She did not like this dwarf at all. Without thinking she beat her wings against the cage. Her fellow inmates squawked. She hated them. Why could he not kill those two useless birds? "I'm not a goose! That's why you can't kill me."

"Well, you look like one." The dwarf folded his gnarled arms over his chest and smirked.

"But I can talk!" she said. "You can understand me."

"I think we've established that."

"Why can you understand me?"

"Right now I'm theorizing you may be some sort of vision of guilt for all the animals I've slaughtered in the name of manor food over the years. Clearly I am losing my mind, though it would easily explain why I now hear some goose claiming to be a human begging me to spare her skinny little throat." The smirk changed to a grin that displayed disturbingly sharp teeth.

"I'm telling the truth!" Mimi felt on the verge of tears. "You can't kill me! That would be murder."

"I'm a little surprised you did not bring this up before with dear Elva or someone else. It's a little reckless to wait so long. At some point did you consider geese are sold for meat in this town?"

"No one else can understand me." She thought wistfully of Blake. What was he going to think?

"So let me get this straight, Miss Goose," said the dwarf. "I went out today simply to do my job. Buy a few geese, bring them back to the manor for the Duke's dinner. And you claim to be some poor enchanted girl and no proof to this claim aside from a few words. I've seen parrots with the same ability. Your cage mates don't seem to mind; they haven't said a single word."

"They're just geese."

"Maybe they're enchanted as well and yet do not have the ability to talk to you or me."

"I hate you," she said. Tears were coming now. "I hate you! You're mean and you're hideous and… I want to go home."

"Where's home?" the dwarf asked. "Because I need to be getting back to my home soon because I actually have a job."

She realized she had no idea where the castle was from here. "I don't want to die."

The dwarf sighed. "Miss Goose, I'm not going to kill you. Far be it from me to slaughter a talking goose."

She stopped crying. "Then why did you say you would?"

Another sigh, and she found herself almost humiliated. Did the question really sound that stupid?

He approached the cage. His fingers had what seemed to be claws at their ends. "How about I let you out right now? I'm sure this town will be kind to an enchanted creature." The sarcasm was clear.

And he was right. She shook her head. "No."

"No? You changed your mind about being cooked."

Mimi was trying to think and this ugly creature would not be quiet. "You claim to be needing to get back to your job! What, as some ignored messenger and shopper? I doubt you'll be missed!"

He laughed. It was a horrible laugh. "Ignored messenger? Miss Goose, I will have you know that the reason I have so much clout in this town is because I am the Second Cook to the Duke. I do my own shopping because everyone else is too dense to pick out decent ingredients."

"Oh." In all of the stories she had never heard of a dwarf as being anything that important. "I'm sorry."

"Glad to hear you are. Now do you want out or not? This is your chance for freedom, Miss Goose."

"It's not Miss Goose, it's Mimi. And I'm supposed to meet someone today. A friend."

"Someone with whom you can talk, I hope." He placed one sharp claw in the cage and shredded it open.

"Yes, actually," Mimi said. "But then that horrible woman drove me here and you know the rest. Can you get me back to her home? Elva's, I mean?"

"You're kidding me," the dwarf said. "I can't return a goose. I'm not that cruel. It would ruin her business."

"I don't care about her business!"

"Well, as a shopper I do. Besides, I don't know where she lives. No idea."

She was not going to see Blake again. She was to be trapped like this forever.

"Oh, goodness, Miss Goo—Mimi, don't cry again. It's weird." He stopped making the slit. "I'll help you. How's that? I'll take you to the manor with me and we'll figure out someway to find your friend. I won't kill you."

She was not sure how much she trusted him. "You won't?"

"I swear. I have my own quarters. You can stay there for the night. Just keep quiet, out of the way, and I'll make up some lie about fattening you up or something akin. And you won't die."

"What about the other geese?"

"I'm the Second Cook and I have a recipe all ready for your friends. You just won't be a part of it. Happy?"

"And you'll help me find my friend?" she asked. This situation seemed to be the best she was going to get.

"When I have the time. Yes."

She took deep breath then nodded. "All right. Thank-you." What had the women called him? "Dwarf Long-nose."

"I'm going to be mocked for this," he muttered as he picked up he cage again.

He did not even have the decency to let her walk.


	7. In Which There is a Midnight Escapade

After so much dread of death by cooking in the Duke's manor Mimi found the place itself rather anticlimactic. Perhaps the experience of growing up in the magic-infused castle of her father's had ruined her for the homes of others. It was a building, large and square, standing pompously above the town. A fence of tall, black iron surrounded it, but only to laughable threat. Who was this Duke trying to impress?

The gate was guarded by two soldiers armed with spears and muskets. They greeted Dwarf Long-nose pleasantly, not even noticing Mimi and the other stupid geese. "Ah. Dinner," said one. "Save me a piece?"

"If no one picks it to the bones first," replied Dwarf Long-nose. "They're to be prepared for the Duke. What remains is no concern of mine."

The guards laughed. Despite his looks, the creature certainly was popular.

"They'd eat me?" she whispered to him.

"Shh."

Inside the gate was a nice-enough garden and grounds, though Mimi was not sure what she felt of the uniform trees. Before she could look further around, Dwarf Long-nose had stepped through a door and into a dark hall.

"Ah, Jacob!" came a booming voice. "I thought you had died in the market. What took so long?"

"I'm picky," said Dwarf Long-nose. "But I am more or less prepared for dinner. See these beauties?"

A bald, round-faced man appeared at the cage. Mimi felt horrible trapped and instinctively beat her wings.

"Feisty. I'm sure the Duke will appreciate them. Though you might want to save one. We've a guest coming tomorrow, I hear."

"A guest," Dwarf Long-nose repeated darkly. "Who has insulted the Duke now? Neither of us are up to preparing poisons."

"A real guest, I hear."

"Intriguing." Dwarf Long-nose did not sound as if he cared. "Well, if you'll excuse me, Michael, I need to make someone pluck these. Where is Abe when I need him?

"Lucy has come back here again. Make her do it. Or I will." Michael turned his round body and bellowed "Lucy!"

"I don't work here!" a girl's sing-song voice replied.

"Then leave and go wash something!" Michael shook his head. "Pity. She is so handy when she is in the mood."

"I can't get her to do a single thing," said the dwarf as he side-stepped Michael.

"Abe is sleeping outside, by the way." A young woman stepped out of a door Mimi assumed to be the kitchen, judging on how the woman had a piece of bread in her hand. "He's trained to pluck chickens, not me. Or geese. Whatever you have there. Your bread is done, Michael, by the way. And it burns my tongue. Jacob, your rolls are better."

"Thank-you, and are you sure you don't want to pluck the geese?" Dwarf Long-nose heaved the cage from his back. Mimi slid into the side.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "I'll drag up Abe for you." She stepped past them all, stood in the doorway a moment, then dragged a drowsy boy from seemingly nowhere.

"What?" the boy whined, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"I don't have time for this," the dwarf muttered.

Michael grabbed the boy around his skinny arm. "Jacob has work for you to do." He grabbed the cage and dumped it roughly into Abe's arms. Boy, Mimi, cage, and geese crashed to the floor.

"Ow!" cried Abe. "Pluck all of these?"

Oh, no.

"Except that one," the dwarf said quickly. He opened the cage and took Mimi around the middle. "I'm saving her."

"Like a pet?" Lucy asked with a laugh. "She's a pretty little thing."

Geese were not pretty. Stupid girl.

"Like future dinner. Abe, start on those geese. I'm going to find a spot for this one."

Michael gave a deep laugh. "I'm thinking Lucy is right. It is like a pet. One that His Maddness will eat."

"Exactly."

"All right, have fun killing your birds," said Lucy with a farewell wave. "I'm off."

"Finally working?" Michael called after her.

"You almost let that boy kill me," Mimi said as soon as she could no longer hear the noise of the kitchen. "You just gave him the cage."

"Truthfully, I did no such thing," said Dwarf Long-nose. "Michael took the cage from me and gave it to Abe. I once again saved your life. Abe may look lazy, but he's a fine kitchen boy who would have wrung your neck by now." He climbed a short case of stairs and rounded a corner. "Servants' quarters. My rooms are down here."

"Who were those people? Were they all going to kill me?"

"Michael is the Head Cook. My boss, you might say. Lucy is a maid who thinks enough of herself to associate with those of us in kitchen."

"What?"

"I'm joking. She's very nice." He pushed open a door into a small room furnished with a couple of chairs and a small table. Everything was blue, including the other door set against the back wall.

"They called you Jacob," Mimi said. "But in the market place—"

He laughed. "Yes, my parents were silly enough to name me Dwarf Long-nose. That's just a nickname that sort of cropped up with my customers. I think it suits me. My real name is Jacob."

A goblin creature named Jacob. That was a name that did not fit. Still, it was easier to say than Dwarf Long-nose. "Jacob, then."

"Whatever you'd like to call me, Miss Goose. " He set her on the floor. "You can stay here for now. I have your goosey friends to see to."

She was free. At least as free as she had ever been that day. She stretched out her wings, wishing painfully they were arms. "Thank-you. But what about my friend?"

"Later on." He smiled at her with his freakishly sharp teeth, and closed the door.

Suddenly the freedom was no longer so satisfying. She was trapped in this room. She could not even open the door. She was still under this horrible spell. Blake had no way to find her.

She began to cry all over again.

* * *

Mimi must have cried herself to sleep, for she suddenly came to in a dark room. Moonlight streamed through the window. She sat up straight. What time was it? She was still a goose, at any rate.

Two dishes sat not far from her, one supplied with water and the other with what appeared to be bits of bread and something she did not recognize. How long had it been since she had last eaten? Despite the lack of ceremony of the food, she dug her bill in. It was oddly natural in feeling. Apparently this was how geese ate. The bread was filling, and the strange food proved to be delicious and rather spicy. Some kind of vegetable stew. She took a long drink. Jacob had at least come through on food. She should not have doubted him. Apparently an ugly little dwarf could cook. Unless of course Michael had prepared everything.

Now what? Go back to sleep? She hopped up onto one of the chairs and stared out the window. Blake was supposed to meet her back at Elva's home. Where was he now? The moonlight did not reveal much. No sign of any talking squirrel.

The faint chime of a clock stirred her away from the window. Sure enough, against one wall was a small wooden clock she had not noticed. It chimed again.

Two o'clock.

The change came. Sweet, wonderful change. The goose feathers melted into her body as her wings stretched into arms.

Human. Human again. For one hour.

While she was trapped in this room.

Did she dare leave? In one hour she would be a goose again and she did not know where Elva lived. By now Blake would realize she was not there. There was no point.

Still, she had to do something. She tried the door. Unlocked.

She pulled off one of the blue curtains and wrapped it around her body. There was no way she was going to stay here for her hour. She rapped gently on the other door. "Jacob?"

No reply. Just as well. She stole out the door and into the hall.

The hall was lit no brighter than the Dwarf's sitting room. Sconces lined the walls, golden with small flames. The light bounced around like small fireflies, showing nothing but shadows of who-knew-what on the walls. It was a strange thought to think, but for the first time Mimi's curse seemed almost romantic. Almost. Of course, if some princess had been cursed to her home castle, she probably would have thought it almost romantic as well, and the romance pretty much ended when she realized she had absolutely no idea where she was supposed to go.

So she wandered. The manor's halls, which were most likely logical and few in number in reality, were at night a labyrinth. She felt like a phantom, an eerie and delicious feeling. This placed was hers.

At least until she heard the footsteps.

Mimi was examining the dim painting of some overly dressed woman when she heard the footsteps. They were not loud, just the footsteps of someone trying not wake the entire manor, but still heavy. She froze, hoping her curtain-covered body would disappear into the wall. The footsteps stopped as well.

Had she imagined them?

She could hear her heart pounding. The Dwarf's room was… oh, she had memorized the way back, but it was far. She had to get back there before three o'clock.

Carefully she rounded a corner.

A man stood there, his profile lit by the nearest sconce. His hair was brown and curled gently at his ears. His clothes belonged to the finest travelers to visit Weatherbold. She had no idea why she noticed such things. And he stood there, blocking her way back to the room.

When would he move? She had to do something. It was late and maybe she would be assumed a ghost. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and ran right past the man.

"Hey!" he cried, voice full of shock.

Mimi did not stop. She only ran faster, opening her eyes for a quick second to see if he followed. Then they were closed again until she was back in the Dwarf's sitting room and the door was locked and she was turning back into a goose.


	8. In Which Girls Become Enamored

"Did you see him? He came in late last night, William said."

"I filled his water and he thanked me!"

"Is he as handsome as they say?"

Mimi was not the only one to see the strange young man, though most likely the only one to see him via such a humiliating circumstance. And the man had a name, whispered in and out of the kitchen in a continual drift of chatter from people who, according to Michael, had no place there. That name was Prince Matthias.

Mimi loved it the moment she heard it.

The night's escapade had given Mimi a taste to see the rest of the manor despite the risk of that Abe boy chopping off her head. So when Jacob had arisen early in the morning, blurry-eyed and forgetting he had rescued an enchanted goose, she had insisted he bring her along to the kitchen.

"My pet," he had muttered as he led her back down the hall. "That's what I'm going to hear."

Fortunately, the news of Prince Matthias' early arrival trumped any cook and his goose.

The kitchen was fairly spacious, though not much larger than that of Mimi's home and would never be one to induce much impression. The result was a rather crowded bustle of Michael, Jacob, Abe, and two others who seemed to have no other purpose than to be bossed about at a higher level than Abe. Everyone seemed to arrive at exactly the same time and immediately launch into the preparing of breakfast.

"Sit against the wall," Jacob said under his breath to Mimi as he tugged out a bin of flour. Michael was already preparing yeast, and Abe, covered in chicken feathers, was cracking eggs. "Do not get in my way."

"Are you talking to that goose?" Abe asked without taking his eyes off of his egg mess.

"Yes. It's to soothe the bird so the meat is unstressed and tender."

"Really?"

"No." Jacob grabbed a pot. "Can someone grab me some water? Do we have any water yet?"

One of the nameless cooks took the pot from him and dipped into a large water barrel. Meanwhile Jacob gathered other ingredients in his arms and approached the stove. He would barely see over the top of it, Mimi noticed, but he pulled a stool out and climbed on top of it. The water ready, he set the flame and began to pour this and that.

"What are you making?" Mimi asked.

He ignored her.

Within minutes the kitchen was a muddle of steam, flour, and egg. Cooking for Lavender had never been like it. Exciting. And it all smelled so much better than Mimi's own cooking. Girls ran in with news of Prince Matthias, and the morning was the most fascinating Mimi had experienced in a while.

Then Abe, returning from an errand, gave some news. "Hey, Jacob! You have a special job for His Madness!"

Jacob, in the process of setting what turned out to be a spicy-smelling porridge out to cool, rolled his eyes. "And it is?"

"It's for the Prince… whatever-his-name-is."

"Matthias," three people said at once.

"Matthias. Yes. The Duke's trying to impress him. He wants you to make him that berry pastry thing with the thyme or whatever it is."

"What? You're joking."

Abe shook his head seriously. "No. He grabbed me by the arm while I was out. I guess he's trying to show you off."

Jacob swore under his breath and hopped from his stool. "I'd thank him for the early notification. And I suppose the rest of the household will just have to wait to eat. Michael, I need the flour board now."

Michael nodded. "At least he timed it right with the rolls. Why don't you just finally poison His Madness?" He laughed.

"I'd be poisoning his illustrious guest. Not my target. Wilhelm, a small bowl, now." One of the other cooks handed him a bowl and Jacob quickly scooped the hot porridge into it and set it on the floor before Mimi.

"You're giving that to the goose?" Michael asked. "After complaining about not feeding the rest of the household?"

"It was to be the Duke's breakfast. He rushed an order upon me, so I'm giving his other food to the goose."

"She deserves it after I cracked eggs in front of her," said Abe.

Mimi did not feel any particular attachment to chicken eggs, but supposed it was sweet of Abe to think of her. The porridge smelled wonderful. Lavender had never taught her to put in anything interesting. Of course, it had taken her a long time to not burn it. It was just below boiling, but she tried some anyway. It was very good.

Jacob worked madly at the flour board, rolling and shaping and rolling and shaping again. It was fun to watch him work. His long fingers moved quickly through the dough, and were yet so careful in wrapping it around a bunch of brightly-colored berries.

"The oil is ready, sir," the still-unnamed cook said.

"Perfect." For someone upset about preparing the pastries, he certainly was careful with it. No sooner had he pulled the pastries from the pot of oil than the most incredible scent of warm berries filled the kitchen.

"Ooh! Those things you hate making! Can I have one?" Lucy sailed through the kitchen door, hand outstretched for a treat.

She was rather annoying, Mimi thought.

"Fortunate hates you today," Jacob replied. "They are for the Duke and his guest."

"Oh, the Prince," Lucy said. "The one who all but sneaks in late at night. Prince Matthias." She feigned a swoon. "I hear him to be young and incredibly handsome and rich."

"I take it you are not planning on marrying him," said Michael.

"I'll marry you!" declared Abe.

She patted him on the head. "Ask me again when you can grow a man's beard. No, Michael, I'm afraid that I am a maid and therefore much more practical than to think of marrying a prince. Though I haven't seen him yet so perhaps Cupid's arrow has not yet had an opportunity to strike me down. But I think I already hate him because no one can say anything that does not involve him."

Jacob laughed. "Michael wanted me to poison him."

"You should have. Is it too late?" She stepped around Michael and stared hard at Mimi. "The prodigal goose is back."

Mimi stared back at her. Were geese supposed to stare?

"She's kind of cute, you know."

"Please don't tell me you are thinking of making her your pet," Jacob said.

"Maybe. If you don't kill her soon, you'll get attached. So I feel safe making friends now. Hey girl!" She stroked Mimi's head. It was humiliating. "I have an idea. Why don't you leave this chamber of death with me and we'll go see just how wonderful are visiting prince is. How does that sound?"

It sounded, despite the company, wonderful. Mimi wanted to see the Prince again very much.

"He's preparing to eat breakfast," said Jacob. "If you bring the goose into the dining room, His Madness will have your head."

"He's not kidding," said Michael with darkness that surprised Mimi.

"Don't worry, we'll wander first." Lucy picked up Mimi and headed to the door.

Mimi did not see many servants during her unguided tour of the manor. Beyond the dim hallway of the kitchen and servants' quarters, the manor was surprisingly bright. Windows let in plenty of light, the walls were painted with cheery colors, and vases of fresh flowers were everywhere. It was different from her home, Mimi realized. There was nothing dark or enchanted about it. It was disappointing.

Lucy eventually set Mimi down and started her tasks, which seemed to consist of everything from dusting and cleaning to laundry. The tasks were familiar enough, but Lucy and the other girls did them with a pleasantry Mimi had never felt. Chores were no doubt different free from curses. At least she wasn't expected to do anything but follow Lucy about.

Finally, as Lucy was folding towels in the middle of a hallway, another maid ran up with the exclamation "He's in the library!"

Lucy smiled slowly and climbed to her feet. "Shall we, Miss Goose?"

Where had this Miss Goose name come from?

The library's doors were open, revealing a pristine room shelved ceiling to floor with books. It was clean and bright and the very opposite of Weatherbold's haphazard libraries. And there, sitting at the single table, sat the very man Mimi had seen the night before. Prince Matthias.

Her heart pounded. He was more handsome than he had been at night. Spectacles sat on his nose as he poured over a book. Mimi loved this almost more than anything. He did not skim. He read, his brown eyes focused intently on the pages, oblivious to the maid and the goose standing not so far from him. A pile of at least five books sat next to him.

Lucy did not say a word. She studied him for a moment, then set herself to casually dusting the shelves.

A prince. A real prince. It could not be happening. It could not be this easy.

Mimi had to be scooped up by Lucy in order to leave.

The kitchen was decidedly less exciting when Lucy returned Mimi. A giant pot of something was simmering in the fireplace, Wilhelm was chopping vegetables, and Michael and Jacob were leaning against the wall, chatting. They looked over when Lucy entered.

"Ah, how the future meal's trip about the manor?" Jacob asked as he took Mimi from Lucy.

"Jacob, I need to talk to you," Mimi whispered.

He once again ignored her and set her on the floor.

"Jacob!"

"She watched me work," said Lucy. "Of course she had a good time. We dusted things and spied on Prince Matthias. Apparently he fancies himself a scholar."

"How important," smirked Jacob.

"Can either of you even read?"

"Enough to read recipes," said Michael and "Hardly," said Jacob.

"So what are you mocking, then?"

"What is your point?"

"I don't think I have one. Good-day, gentlemen." She grabbed a roll and a carrot Wilhelm had yet to slice and left the room.

Mimi tried again. "Jacob, I need another favor."

Jacob sighed. "Michael, I need to return Lucy's new best friend to her pen. Would you watch the dumplings?"

He did not speak again until they were outside the kitchen. "Mimi, do you honestly expect me to answer you when other people are around? I thought we had this discussion yesterday that not a whole lot of the population can understand you. I'm not about to have everyone thinking I'm crazy because I'm talking to a goose."

Mimi wanted to say something along the lines of "they all talk to some hideous goblin creature" but decided she needed the favor more. "I need you to do something for me."

"Besides save your life?" He opened the door to his quarters. "No. I've done my good deed for the year."

"Please?"

He sat down in one of the chairs. "What is it? I really can't be gone long."

"You weren't doing anything in there."

"So my business is more important than your favor?"

Mimi sighed. "I need a dress."

He looked at her as if she had spoken to him for the first time. "First you want me to help you find your friend and now you want a dress? What for? You're a goose!"

"Not all the time."

He blinked. "What?"

"I'm not a goose all the time. It's… it's a time spell. I have one hour a day as human. At two o'clock in the morning."

He leaned back in the chair. "So this morning at two o'clock you were… a human." An odd expression crossed over his face, one Mimi could not read. And then it was gone. "Exactly how did you come under this spell?"

"My step-mother. She's a fairy." The story came spilling out. Apparently it had needed to be told. Every word summoned a little bit of relief.

When she finished, Jacob was silent for a long time. "Wow," he finally said. "That is quite the story."

"Thank-you for listening," Mimi said.

"I still don't understand why you need a dress. You'll in this room all night, and I sleep like the dead and wouldn't dream of walking in on you, if that thought bothered you."

"The Prince is awake at that time," she said. "I… I want to see him."

He stared at her, then laughed. "Is no one free from the charms of this prince?"

"He's smart," she said defensively. "He reads."

"At least you're not in love with him for his looks. Well, he did appreciate that pastry I slaved away over this morning. I just don't know where you expect me to get a dress."

"You're friends with Lucy and other maids. Borrow from one of them."

"And what do I say to borrow from them?"

"Think of something!" She thought of something else. "Did you locate Elva's farm yet?"

Jacob shook his head. "It's been a busy day with the arrival of the Prince. Do you want that done or do you want the dress?"

"I don't know!" She paced the floor, thought whirling through her head. How could she have forgotten so quickly about Blake? "I don't mean to sound ungrateful. You've done so much already. But if you can't find Elva's home, I do need a dress."

He sighed. "His Madness will love this if he finds out."

"Who is His Madness? The Duke?"

"One and the same," said Jacob, hopping out of the chair. "He's usually harmless. But he's killed before. I've only been here five years, but apparently he's had many people killed. I don't think anyone in the city know much about it, at least that the Duke is responsible for disappearances. But when he becomes angry, well, he can't control his temper."

"When was the last time this happened?" Mimi was horrified.

"Um, two years ago, I think. A messenger from someone. He didn't like the message, so… off with his head."

"And yet you work for him?"

He shrugged. "It's a living. And I stay on his good side. I'm extremely talented when it comes to cooking, so it's easy to stay out of his way. Most people don't really think about it too often."

Mimi was not sure if she wanted to be here any longer.

"Well, glad to leave you on a good note," Jacob said as he turned to leave. "I'll see what I can do about a dress."


	9. In Which Mimi Meets the Prince Really

The dress arrived at about eleven o'clock at night. It was the basic garb of a servant girl, brown and plain, but clean and not entirely unattractive. Mimi had worn several like back during her time as Lavender's slave and only a passing thought wondered if she should not wear something fancier when meeting a real prince. Fortunately there were plenty of stories of enslaved beauties.

"You're amazing!" she said as Jacob tossed the dress onto a chair. "I didn't think you could actually get one."

"I will never live down the story I had to tell to get this for you," he replied.

She stared at him. "What was the story?"

For a moment he was silent. "All right, I stole it from a basket of laundry and apparently I lack the ability to instantly come up with a story for your listening pleasure."

She fished at the dress with her bill. "I'm disappointed. I love stories."

"I'm a cook, not a storyteller."

"Back home, before my father married that awful woman, travelers told the most wonderful stories. Do you have many travelers here?"

Jacob scratched his ear. "No, not really. I mean, I suppose there is a steady turn-up of them, but the Duke is hardly popular."

"Not from what you said." The dress smelled wonderful. What did these girls use in their laundry? No, she could not think that way. She was no longer a servant responsible for cleaning. "Thank-you for getting the dress." She laughed. "I can't wait for tonight!"

"Sneaking out in the middle of the night to try to find someone who may or may not be awake or in the realm of your search. Yes, that sounds marvelous." He sighed and shook his head. "Have fun, for I bid thee good night." He left to his own room.

Mimi laughed again and stretched out her wings. They were becoming stronger, she had noticed. If she hopped off the chair, she could manage a quick flight about the small room. It tragically was not as exciting as she had expected; then again, more room was probably needed for a proper flight. She shook her head. What was she thinking? First about the methods of a manor laundress and now about flying as a goose. All she had to do was look at that dress. A few more hours and she would be human, properly human.

Oh, how she missed it!

Two o'clock could not come quickly enough. When the two strikes echoed through the little room, she slipped the dress onto her wonderfully human body. It fit surprisingly well. Either she was a very average size or Jacob had a good eye. And there was just something about wearing a dress, something so comfortingly human and feminine. She ran a hand through her hair. She no longer sported her familiar braid and she had not thought about asking for a brush. That was certainly nothing the dwarf could steal from a laundry basket. Still, in the dark, how much could the prince see? She pinched her cheeks red, though hoped she did not need it. Her heart seemed to pound enough blood. She whirled about happily, the skirt flaring about. She was going to meet a prince.

It was happening. Finally happening. All those stories she had heard. She slipped into the hall and headed to where she had seen him the night before.

The entire manor seemed to hold its breath as she walked through the halls and the first slivers of doubt began to pierce her heart. Maybe Jacob was right and the prince would not be up and about. But just when else was she supposed to meet him? Of course he would not be reading her mind…

"You came."

She screamed and whirled around. There, in the shadow of a grotesquely large vase, sat none other than Prince Matthias with a single glowing candle at this feet and a book in his lap. Moonlight mixed with the light of the candle. No wonder she had not seen him. But he had seen her.

"You… you expected me?" Her voice came out as barely a whisper.

He nodded, slammed the book shut, and jumped to his feet. The moment he did, the book tumbled from his hand and crashed to the floor. "Oops." He quickly retrieved. The spectacles he had worn earlier were still on his face. He pulled them off and stuck them into a trouser pocket. "Well, no, I didn't expect you. But… I did hope. I thought I saw someone last night. And I don't know if that's you or not. If it's not then I must say I'm quite humiliated right now. But if it is…"

Mimi laughed. This was not the royal reception she had expected, but Prince Matthias did seem nice. "It was I. I guess I'm humiliated you saw me."

"Not very much of you." He paused. "I mean… I mean, I couldn't find you today. You live here, right?"

She shrugged. "I suppose."

Another pause, longer than the first. "I'm sorry. I forget my manners. My name is Prince Matthias." He bowed, lower than anyone Mimi had ever seen.

She curtsied. It was so long since she had practiced, but Matthias did not seem the type to judge her. "My name is Mimi." She almost threw in the title "Daughter of the Sorcerer Weatherbold" but for some reason to herself she did not.

"Mimi," he repeated. "That's pretty."

"Thank-you." Her father's old customers had always liked her name, as well. "Am I disturbing, Prince Matthias."

He shook his head fervently. "No! Of course not! I was kind of… waiting for you. To see if you would show up again. Like last night."

Would it be embarrassing to admit she was doing the same? "How flattering, your grace."

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing up this late anyway," Prince Matthias continued. "I can't sleep. I'm a terrible sleeper. It's like a curse. So I read instead. I love reading."

"You do?" Her heart flipped in her chest.

"I read everything. I have my own library full of books. I even visited the Duke's library today." His blush was visible even in the dim light. "I apologize. I talk too much."

She laughed. It was different from her laughs in the dwarf's quarters. It was a quiet laugh, shy. "If I may ask, my prince, don't you have rooms for reading rather than a hallway?" Hopefully the one they all called His Madness had the hospitality to provide room for a guest. Her father had always been so gracious.

"Of course! But… I wasn't reading last night." He held up the book. "I brought this along to occupy myself while I waited for you."

She could still scarcely believe he had waited for here. "What is it?"

He shrugged. "Probably nothing that would interest you. It's a report on the forestry of this area."

"I… I actually would find that fascinating. My father kept all sorts of books like that."

His locked on her face. Mimi almost wanted to turn away. Almost. "Your father must be very wise."

A tiny crack went through her heart. "He… he is." Oh, dear, she was about to cry.

Matthias frowned. "Did something happen to him?"

If only she knew for certain. "No," she found herself saying. "I just haven't seen him since I came here. I miss him sometimes."

"I'm sure he misses you." Matthias' voice was sincere.

"Thank-you. You are very kind."

Matthias stared out the window at the moon. "It's late. I… I must say I enjoyed talking to you. But this, this isn't proper. I can't risk your name."

Oh, dear. What time was it? "Will I see you again?"

"Will you come back tomorrow night?" In a move of surprisingly boldness, he grabbed her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. The next moment he was ten feet back, once again blushing. "I'm sorry."

She shook her head. Her hand tingled where his lips had touched it. "I don't mind. It was a pleasure to meet you, your grace."

"You as well, Mimi."

The walk back to her room was a dream. Scarcely had she closed the door than the clock struck three. The stolen dress collapsed around her as feathers slid from her skin and her body shrunk. For the first time she did not mind. All she could think about was the prince. She wanted to fall asleep to thoughts of him. A prince! And after all those years of coming to terms with the fact it was a childish fancy. Hah! She had shown herself!

And then a tap at the window stirred her from thoughts of Matthias.

There, on the other side of the pane, sat a squirrel. Blake.

Immediately Matthias was gone from her mind. She sprang up to the chair closest to the window and, after a few attempts, managed to flip the latch with her bill.

"It is you!" Blake exclaimed as he hopped through.

"Of course it's me!" This was becoming quite the name for Mimi. "But it's you! How did you get here? How did you find me? I was trying to get back to that crazy woman's home and…"

"Well, it was stupid of me to advise you to stay right before a market day. Though in my defense I had no idea. Trust me, I was about to drown myself at the thought you would have been killed. But one of the perks of being a squirrel is being privy to useless gossip and I eventually heard about some goose bought from Elva being kept as some girl's pet up at the manner. Or being saved for a later feast. There were a couple of stories. But I hoped against hope and after that transformation I know for sure. How are you?"

"As well as I can hope," Mimi replied. "As you see, I'm still under this awful spell."

"Yes. We do need to break that."

"Any ideas?"

"Lavender would know. Or maybe your father." Blake lazily flipped his tail back and forth as he thought. "I went to look for you father back at the castle. I can't find him. We could go back there, but I don't know what good we would be…"

"Don't you have a plan?" Mimi asked. "The other night you sounded so sure."

"Actually, no, I just wanted to find your father. But that has not yet happened. But here…" He stared at the room. He seemed oddly in place there. "Mimi, would you mind staying here?"

"Not at all." The words flew from her mouth. "I mean, it's safe here."

"May I ask why you have not yet been cooked?"

She gestured at the other door. "There's this goblin dwarf creature here. Jacob. He's one of the head cooks. He can understand me. He was going to help me get back to Elva's. That was to find you, though, and now you're here. But I could stay." She hoped Jacob would agree.

"He can understand you? Interesting. Well, I have to let you know it's extremely weird you wound up here, of all places, but good. I know this place pretty well, actually. Traveling to your castle is actually extraordinary for me."

"Why did you come to my castle?"

Blake was silent.

"Blake, it is extraordinary. How did you know Lavender was going to put this spell on me?"

"To be honest, I didn't. As in I did not go to the castle to help you. Do not get me wrong, I am happy to be attempting to be your hero. But I was looking for Lavender."

Now it was Mimi's turn for silence.

"Lavender has many enemies," Blake continued.

She closed her eyes tight. "Oh, heavens, you're also under a spell, aren't you? The other night!" There she had been without a single stitch of cloth.

"It's a very long story," he said dryly.

"Would you be offended if I did not want to hear about it now?" She was far too humiliated.

"No. I want to help you. I promise, I will think of something. Stay here. If this Jacob can understand you, you should stay with him. Mimi, I will promise I will think of something. Now get some sleep and don't wander the halls. Good night." He slipped out the window.

Stay here. Of course she could stay here. Matthias was here.

She settled into one of the chairs and quickly fell asleep.


	10. In Which We Meet Someone and He Dies

Mimi spent the night dreaming of Matthias. True, he was not like the princes in the stories she had always heard. But she liked that. He was sweet and kind. He read. There was something cute and helpless about him that nibbled at her heart. And he liked her. He had awaited to see her, had awoken at night in hopes of seeing her. He found her beautiful.

An adjective that quickly disappeared when she awoke and remembered that she was for most of the day a goose. She hopped from her perch on the chair with as much strength as a little goose could muster; the feeble stomp did not quite match her irritation. Silly, silly, silly. Here she was in love with a man who had no idea that she was a goose. Or not a princess or anyone of station, for that matter. They had spoken so briefly. Practicality. Practicality is what she needed. Practicality to fight the boredom. So their first conversation had gone well. That was good. Wonderful, in fact. But for the time being she was a goose incapable of charming this prince. Normally she would be up and about working instead of worrying about romance. But what was a goose to do? She needed something to do. Anything. She could not spend all day making up stories about herself and Matthias.

Still, the very thought of him sent her heart racing.

But she wouldn't be human again for hours and hours. She took a deep breath and realized she was starving. What time was it? Morning, that was clear. What time in the morning? Early? She approached the other door. "Jacob?"

No reply. This meant he was either sleeping or…

"Jacob!" she repeated, giving the door a swift blow with her bill, much to a response of pain. Wonderful. He had been kind and thoughtful and had allowed her to sleep in. Tragically, she had no desire to stay inside until he felt the whim to return.

She turned to the door to the hall. It would be impossible to open with her ridiculous wings. For all intents and purposes, the little monster had locked her in! She stood in the middle of the sitting room, wings up and feathers ruffled. Now what was she supposed to do? He had not even brought her anything to eat. Did he honestly expect her to be in there all day?

The window! Of course. She had been able to let Blake inside. She hopped back onto the chair and flicked open the latch with her bill. The window opened with minimal prodding from her until she was able to squeeze out and hop

down into the fluffy green grass directly behind a row of poplars and breath in the air.

The day was good, that much was clear, and Mimi would have been thankful for anything, any excuse to get a good dose of fresh air. The sky was blue and cloudless and the air was warm. There was no wind. A few hours outside would probably be stifling and hot, but all she wanted to do was dance, a hideous little goosey dance she was thankful no one saw. A beautiful day. Perfect. It was what she needed to get her mind off of Matthias and the fact that she was still a goose with a squirrel friend who really had no idea what to do. She took another deep breath of the deliciously fresh air and stepped out from behind the poplars.

She saw no one, though the echo of distant manor voices were audible. The pretty grass ended shortly in favor of gardens and other handy uses of land. She liked that. She did not understand why anyone would bring in scrubby useless grass simply for its beauty. The earth needed to grow some necessary plants. She stepped into an herb garden. Its scent was intoxicating. She had always enjoyed chewing on mint, and having missed breakfast, chose to do so then.

It was while she was nibbling those that something strange happened. A man appeared. He was tall, with blonde hair tied back in a messy bundle. His clothes were not exactly rags, but showed many awkward mending jobs. He looked about thirty and as if he did not belong there. That much was clear, though Mimi could not quite explain to herself how she knew. He was not making an effort to hide, but he did not seem to be about any tasks of any sort. And from what Mimi had seen of the servants they dressed better than he.

Before she knew it, her imagination was racing to places only boredom could decree. He was a spy. Or a ghost. Ghosts were much more interesting. But a spy was more plausible, though the boring possibility that he was simply a student did creep into her mind.

His pace around the house was fairly steady, though every now and then he would stop to stare at a window or a section of brick. He made his way past an ivy-covered corner and a plot of herbs and a couple of wells. Yes, the Duke was lucky enough to have two wells. It was about here that he finally noticed a goose following him, but all he did was give an absent-minded grin and saw something along the lines of "goosey-woosey". Somehow that made his fascination lessen.

Just when she lost interest and was about to find something else to do, something else strange happened. Someone else appeared. Lucy. She slipped out of a door, her face ashen as her eyes burned into the man.

"Master Eugen!" She somehow managed to create the perfect blend between screech and whisper. "What are you doing here?"

The man smiled wanly at her. "Lucy," he said softly. "You're still here? How many years as it been?"

"Saints alive, sir, Prince Matthias of Hadenbrucke is here. It isn't safe."

Mimi had stumbled upon something very interesting after all. This Eugen… was he the reason Lucy had no interest in Matthias?

"I'm not even sure who that is."

"What if someone sees you?" she continued. "I saw you through the window twirling about to announce your presence to the entire world. Master Eugen, do you not take any pleasure in the concept that you are not dead?" She sighed and touched her forehead. "I apologize, Your Lordship. I should not be so bold."

Perhaps this was not a romantic affair.

"What if the Duke saw you?"

Eugen's face went hard. "I could not care less what the Duke thinks."

"Then you are a fool. And I will not apologize for that. Sir, it's been years. I work for the Duke now. I know I should have returned, but I did and the money is good. But you cannot be here."

Eugen shook his head. "I have every right to be here."

"Not anymore, sir. The Duke is making pacts now. He has a visiting prince."

Eugen sighed. "Lucy, I don't care about any of that. Have you heard of any news of my brother?"

"None, sir. I presume he is dead." She shook her head. "I also thought you were dead. But you still can't be here. What if someone sees you? Recognizes you?"

"It's been too long." He folded his arms over his chest and sighed. "I'm staying at the inn outside of town. No one has looked twice at me. It was good to see you again, Lucy. We always appreciated you and your family."

"Thank-you," Lucy said softly. "Go back to the inn. It's too dangerous to be here."

"I'm going to come back."

"Sir, you can't."

Eugen shook his head. "I'm going to come back, and you are going to let me in. That is an order."

"Your Lordship—"

"That is an order."

Lucy nodded, docile.

Eugen was silent for a long time. "Thank-you, Lucy." Then, without a moment to spare, he leaned in and kissed her hard on the mouth.

Lucy's eyes flew open, wide, but she did not back away.

When the kiss ended, she merely stammered "Sir!"

"My turn to apologize. I've wanted to do that for a long time."

She slowly brought her fingers to her lips.

And with that he left.

And Mimi was left to ponder what she had just witnessed. What had just happened?

She considered following Lucy inside, though it was unlikely the servant girl would bring up this clandestine conversation with anyone else. She also considered following Eugen who still had not rid himself of the potential of being a spy. The conversation had only increased the possibility. She also considered hunting down Matthias.

Instead she continued wandering around what was suddenly a very boring garden. Her education had served her well—there was not a single new plant left to identify. Some duke who could not even plant some interesting herbs. Then again, she had been rather privileged that way.

Still, despite the drama of Lucy and Eugen, it was still a beautiful day with sun that heated her feathers nicely. At least there was some comfort in being a goose. She stretched out her wings, feeling the strength and wondering if she dared an attempt at flight. She did. On the second attempt, her body slid awkwardly into the air and she screamed at the sensation of actually being air-born. She quickly landed, and the garden seemed wonderfully safe. Even so, she could not shake away the little thrill of flight.

And she continued to wander, around the house, around the stables, and eventually to a semi-familiar path with a familiar figure upon it.

"Mimi!" The gigantic and bulging sack nearly tumbled from Jacob's back and his eyes bugged from his hideous head. "What are you doing out?"

"Walking." Was it not obvious?

"Outside?"

"Aren't we outside?"

He tossed the sack to the ground, sending dust flying about and a fat zucchini rolling out. "How did you get out?"

"Window," Mimi replied. He was more upset about this he had right to be. It was just a walk. "I opened it last night. Needed some air. Do you have something against fresh air?"

"I don't know if the entire manor is aware that you are not be touched. In fact, you don't look any different from any other goose."

"I was careful! I only saw Lucy and some other guy who thought it was enchanting that I was following him."

Now he just looked confused. "Why were you following someone?"

"I thought he was a spy."

"Why would someone be spying here?"

Should she repeat the conversation? "You've been here longer than I."

He sighed and picked up the vegetable sack. "You could have asked to go outside."

"I can't open the door!"

"Or announce to the world you are a walking dinner."

She rolled her eyes and her wings flapped instinctively. "I was careful. I'm bored. I'm not used to being bored. You think I'd enjoy not slaving away for Lavender but the truth is that I no longer know what else to do."

"I don't care. Come on. I can say I was taking you out for some exercise." He started toward the kitchen door.

"In the market?"

"Mimi, I don't think it matters because I don't think anyone is going to ask or even care."

That was probably true. She scampered after him, once more hating her useless feet. "Any more flirtation at the market with all those sellers?"

"Of course," he said rather proudly. "How else do you think I convince those old hens to sell to me? And I get marvelous deals."

"Isn't that cheating?"

"Nah. Business. How did your little nocturnal encounter go?"

"It was wonderful." Was that appropriate to say to someone?

Jacob laughed. "Is His Majesty as magnificent as every other screaming girl in this place say?"

She could not help herself. "Yes!"

"Are you going to thank me for getting that dress for you?"

The dress certainly had been superior to a curtain. "I thought I already did. But I shall thank you again. It was exceedingly useful. I felt just like a scullery maid."

"Every girl's dream, I imagine."

Why did he have to bring Matthias up? Why? Suddenly the day was even more beautiful than before. "Matthias is."

"I was referring to the dress."

"You seem to be obsessed with the dress."

"Well, I normally don't steal from the laundry." They entered the kitchen and he tossed the sack onto a low table. He was remarkably strong for his small size.

"Steal what from the laundry?" Michael said. He was at the stove, surrounded by a cloud of steam. "Jacob, are you talking to yourself?"

Jacob glanced at Mimi. "Um…"

It was humiliating and it was difficult, but she did it. She dug deep into her throat and pulled it out, a pathetic honk.

"I was talking to the goose."

Michael turned around, chubby face clearly amused. "Does that help the goose taste better or something?"

"Yes."

"You are very strange, Jacob, do you know that? Very strange."

"You talk to potatoes."

"True. Truce, then?"

Cooks were an unusual bunch. Not wanting to appear as strange, she darted to the appointed spot of the day before. It probably seemed all the stranger. A tame goose. Michael returned to his cooking while Jacob took out the vegetables to wash.

"You want to know who else is strange?" Michael suddenly asked. "The Prince."

Mimi held her breath.

"The Prince?" Jacob echoed. "I would have thought he had a right to be strange. He is royalty, after all. Aren't they all weird?"

"I don't know. Do you know any?"

"None," Jacob said flatly. "I prefer the normal and common people and a few minor nobles. And I think I interrupted your exciting story of the day."

"He came in today while you were gone. Twice."

Jacob shot her a questioning look.

"He was asking about some girl. A servant girl. Her name was… Mia? Mina? Mary?"

"Mimi?" The name blurted from the Dwarf's mouth. Mimi could have killed him.

"Nah, that wasn't it," Michael replied. "I know it will come to me later. But the important thing was that it was a name I did not recognize. And usually anyone who works in this place wanders down her at some point. Was anyone new hired? Any changes of position in the rest of the household?"

"I'm in here just as much as you are."

"True."

"I still don't know why the Prince is strange."

"I just wish I could remember that name. The Prince was looking for her."

"In the kitchen?" Mimi received a rather nasty look from the dwarf, complete with teeth.

"Yes, the kitchen! That was what surprised me. And the fact that someone of his station was in a servant's area. He seemed desperate to find this mystery maiden. Rather romantic, now that I think about it."

"Except no one knows whom she is."

"Even more romantic."

"Michael, you're an idiot."

"But better looking that you."

Jacob laughed. "Some may argue that." He flung the washed vegetables into a pan. "I'm taking the goose now."

Now?

Before she knew it Jacob had scooped her up. "Hey!" She fought against him. He was too strong. "I want to hear more about the Prince!"

"I don't think the goose wants to leave my presence."

Mimi could not care less about Michael at the moment, only what he had said. He had spoken of Matthias. Matthias was looking for her. He wanted to find her. She could have swooned if she had not been struggling against a super-powerful dwarf.

"What were you thinking?" Jacob hissed as soon as they reached an empty hall. "Are you just announcing your spell to everyone? Why don't you take your nighttime to announce to the entire manor?"

"They probably would not even care. Are spells common?" She tried to bite him.

"I have no idea. But you are expecting me to keep you safe. Is this part of your strategy? Is this how you are going to break your spell?"

"Maybe if someone in this place were a sorcerer…"

"You can't trust everyone, Mimi." They arrived at his door. With Mimi squeezed under one arm, he threw open the door and all but tossed her on the floor.

"Some gentleman you are," she said sullenly as she straightened her feathers. "Those women at the market have no idea who you truly are."

"No, they don't. Only you have been blessed with that."

She glared.

He took a deep breath and shook his head. "All right. I'm sorry. I may have overreacted."

"You did." She hopped up into the bigger chair. It seemed to be fairly far away from Jacob.

"But try to see it from my perspective. I am having a good life. I have a fantastic job working for a nobleman. Then one day an enchanted girl winds up in a cage for a dinner I am cooking. She is weirdly against the idea of becoming dinner and tries to win my pity with her little sob story of a wicked stepmother. So I offer her a place to stay until she can figure something out. Basically, I become her protector. And then she fails to realize just how detrimental spell information can be and decides to spread her news around to people she doesn't know."

"I happen to like Prince Matthias very much."

"And I'm happy to hear that. Oh, that reminds me. I also had to be this goose's fairy godmother by retrieving dresses for her when she magically transforms back into a human."

He made her sound like some spoiled girl. She had slaved away for years for Lavender. "Listen, dwarf," she snapped. "That hour is my hour. My own freedom after spending an entire day looking like this! You have no idea what it is like to be under a spell. And then I met a wonderful person who happens to be a prince. I want to meet him again. I'm sorry if I told him a little about myself. But I did not mention the spell!" She paused. "Is there something I should know about Prince Matthias?"

Jacob shrugged. He had calmed down. "How should I know? I've heard his name about twice in my life before these past few days. He is a prince, not slated to be king or anything due to an elder brother, but he was given a tract of land for which people would kill their grandmothers."

She considered that. So he was not heir to the throne. That did not bother her. All of the stories she had heard were simply about princes and princesses without any politics to get in the way. The news at least calmed her down. "Is he kind?"

"For crying out loud, Mimi, you have spent more time with him than I. You tell me. I know next to nothing about the breed or their dispositions."

"Prince Matthias is very kind." It felt good to say.

"I'm glad to hear it, I suppose. Now are you going to stay here or would you rather be left out to wander? I have work to do."

"You never brought me any breakfast this morning."

"You were asleep." He turned back to the door.

"No worries. I already ate from the garden. Which shouldn't bother you since you buy all your vegetables anyway from simpering old women."

"You would, too, if you tasted the difference. Out or in?"

"You don't like me to be out, so I have to stay in. But I'm bored in here."

"There are books in the other room. I could open the door for you."

"Or I could follow around Lucy."

He gave a half-hearted groan and turned the doorknob. "All right, then. You can be Lucy's spoiled pet again."

"Perfect."

Unfortunately, Lucy was nowhere to be seen. There went any hope of hearing more about the strange Eugen. Then again, Jacob did not even look. And of course it would be against the rules to have a loose goose in the manor. So she returned to her little corner in the kitchen, an observation point of irony to view just what happened to future dinner items. Yet it was more exciting than that, as much as she hated to admit. She liked to watch the cooks as they bustled around the kitchen, talking and laughing and altogether having a great time as they worked. She thought back to her years slaving away for Lavender and they seemed all the worse because of the constant loneliness. Not for the first time she wished she could talk to them, all of them, not just Jacob. But se took what she could get and what she could get was a perfect spot to listen and at least enjoy that. It was all nonsense, stories and jokes and not another word about Matthias. It was all so common. Nothing like the stories the travelers had brought of courts and royalty and nobles. No captured princesses here. Which was more exciting?

It soon became clear, at least exciting for that moment.

Abe was sent out to fetch water from the well returned screaming and it was a good five minutes before Michael and Jacob combined could coax words from his hysterical mouth. Jacob finally forced him onto a stool as the news came flying out.

"There's a dead man out there!"

Mimi sprang to the door while all eyes were on the boy. Jacob and some others raced ahead of her in a mad rush to see.

The fading light of evening failed to cover the body lying in the tall grass now covered in blood. Mimi recognized him instantly.

Eugen.


	11. In Which There is a Game of Chess

Mimi's scream of course turned out as a honk as she stumbled backwards in an awkward mess of feathers into someone's feet. That someone scarcely seemed to notice a bumbling goose, but stepped aside in excitement. Everyone was fixated on Eugen's body. He looked just like he had that morning save for the blood at his chest. His eyes were open wide in death and his face was chalk white. Her stomach churned inside of her. "Jacob" she murmured.

But Jacob wasn't listening. He had turned to Michael, who had joined the murder investigation, and conversed wildly with him. Another cook, Jerome, was already at Eugen's side. "Michael, he's dead."

That ended Michael and Jacob's conversation. They both turned to Jerome who asked "Should I send a message--?"

"No," Michael said sternly. His voice boomed through the darkness. "No one is telling the Duke. We all know how this would upset him. He does not need to know."

Jacob nodded.

"But this… man." Wilhelm gestured at Eugen in horrified disgust. "Michael, someone killed him."

"That much is clear," muttered Jerome.

"Warn everyone else," Jacob instructed the group. "Don't give them all the details lest we have another Abe incident but tell everyone to stick to their rooms tonight."

Jerome's face paled nearly as much as Eugen's. "But it could have been any—"

"Hence the sticking to our rooms." Michael's usually kind eyes bore into everyone, and even Mimi found herself wanting to obey. "Jacob, take the message to the groundskeepers. Jerome, go to housekeeping." He closed his eyes and breathed deeply. "Wilhelm, please go into town and fetch the priest."

The men departed silently as the darkness poured over the grass. Within minutes Mimi could see nothing but the first stars overhead and the light from the still-open kitchen door. Michael stayed by Eugen's body, whispering a prayer.

Mimi's head was light. She had never before seen a dead body. The man she had seen only that morning did not seem to be real and she waited impatiently to be jarred back to reality. But a breeze picked up and time passed with no change to the body in the grass. With her stomach feeling in pieces, she walked quietly back to the kitchen. The silly tame goose. No one cared about the silly tame goose.

Abe sat on a stool, his knees pulled into his chest, eyes staring feverishly past locks of red hair. The boy was not very old, Mimi realized. He clutched a cup of water in one hand.

"Hey, goosey," he said softly as she entered the kitchen. "Scary, ain't it? Wow, but I must have looked like a chicken just now."

Poor boy. She wished she could say something to make him feel better. Instead, she just withstood the indignity of allowing him to scratch her head.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. He rose from the chair, water sloshing from his cup. "It looks like Jacob usually feeds you but he's not here. I'm not a very good cook yet—he's teaching me. I think I can get you some bread, though." He pulled a roll from under a cloth on the table and tore it into pieces. She honestly did not think she could stomach any food, but the boy was so ardent she swallowed down a few pieces anyway. "I bet you're thirsty, too. My mama always says water will cure mostly anything. You went out there, so you're probably needing a drink."

Water did sound nice, and she gratefully swallowed what he poured into a dish. Her head cleared instantly.

"You're a nice goose," Abe said thoughtfully. "I hope Jacob doesn't cook you for awhile."

"Abe, are you talking to that goose?" Jacob entered the kitchen, seeming smaller and more twisted than ever. He was tense, nervous.

"No." Abe tossed another crumb of bread at Mimi. "Just feeding her."

Jacob stared at her almost apologetically. "Oh. I forgot about that. Thanks, Abe. Are you feeling better?"

Abe nodded. "I got a drink. It helped." He paused a moment and took a bit of bread for himself. "Jacob, is he dead? That man out there?"

"You saw him. Stabbed right through the heart. Wilhelm is bringing a priest."

"Oh." Abe took another desperate sip of water. "Who is he?"

Jacob shook his head. "I've never seen him before. That's what makes it so dangerous. Everyone is to stay in their quarters tonight as soon as their work is done."

"Are we doing to tell His—'

"No." Jacob's voice was soft, but he brought up one gnarled hand, claws outstretched. "Michael and I discussed it. The Duke does not need to know. Neither does Prince Matthias. There's protection enough for nobility and we don't want to scare our guest. This man did not work here and none of us recognized him from town. Honestly, I don't think any of us are in danger. But just to be safe, stay in your family's quarters tonight."

"So when I'm done—"

"Actually, I changed my mind. Go now."

Wide-eyed, the boy darted out of the room.

Jacob sighed deeply and sat down on the vacant stool, head in his hands. "Wow," he muttered. "I have to tell you that this has never happened before. Not while I've been here, at least."

Mimi was not sure if she were supposed to say something. So she did anyway. "But you said the Duke would kill people."

"That's His Madness and his crazy little executions, Mimi. This is a random stabbing right outside the kitchen door and Michael and myself trying to take charge as if we actually know what to do when there is a bizarre murder."

"And you're not telling the Duke?"

"From what you've heard about him, you don't think he'd have some sort of fit?" He gave a hollow laugh. "That's just what we need on top of this."

"What about Prince Matthias?"

"He'll be fine. He'll be well-protected. The Duke takes care of his guests." Jacob sounded so sure that Mimi relaxed just a little. "I don't think anyone is in any danger, really, but Michael thought this would be best. And I think I agree. Just in case. You know, you should not have ran out there."

"No one noticed. Jacob—" She closed her eyes, and the image of Eugen speaking to and kissing Lucy returned vividly. "Jacob, I saw that man this morning."

He met her eyes, questioning. "The dead one?"

"Of course the dead one. Before you found me on the path. I was wandering around the garden and, well, so was he. The one I called a spy. Lucy called him Eugen. Master Eugen."

"What? That was who you saw Lucy speaking to?"

Mimi nodded and hoped she could say everything correctly. "She called him 'sir'. And another title. It was as if she… she served him or something. She said he shouldn't be here, that it wasn't safe. Well, she turned out to be right."

"Indeed." Jacob seemed to stare right through the walls as he thought. "I don't understand that. Lucy was here when I came. She's just a maid. Charming girl, but just a maid."

"How long as she worked for the Duke? Eugen acted like he was surprised she was still here." She said nothing about this kiss. It did not seem to be her place to speak of it.

Jacob stood up. "I suppose I could just go and ask her. Stay here."

With sudden appetite she scooped up one of the bread crumbs in her bill. "No, I'm coming."

"Mimi, someone was just murdered."

"He was a human, I'm a goose, and no one will care about me. Besides, I watched Lucy this morning."

"Fine. Come."

It seemed all the servants lived along the same long stretch of dark hallway. Jacob stopped before a door. "I hope this is hers." He gave it a sharp wrap.

Lucy opened the door immediately. "Jacob." She sounded surprised.

"I take it you heard?"

Lucy's eyes were red and her voice hoarse. "It's like the plague. The Duke is entertaining the Prince with a game of cards, I hear. But everyone else, I think, has heard."

"You seem upset."

She stomped her foot. "Of course I'm upset, you silly little creature! Someone was just stabbed to death right outside the kitchen! Why wouldn't I be upset? And I apologize for calling you that name, but, well, I'm a little scared right now. Who was it. Anyone we know?"

Jacob nodded. "No offense taken. As for the dearly departed, no one recognizes him. And you're sure the other girls are in?"

"Yes. Thank-you for coming to check. But if you'd excuse me I'd just really like to panic on my—" She tried to shut the door, but Jacob's claws grabbed it.

"Don't you want to hear what he looked like?" Jacob asked.

Lucy nodded slowly.

"I didn't think you were such a macabre girl. He looked about thirty years of age. Long blonde hair. I couldn't really see the eye color, though."

"Fascinating description," she muttered, and tried to shut the door again.

But Jacob held fast. "Lucy, have you ever heard the name Eugen?"

She did not blink, and her reply came out in a hiss. "No." Then, with a mighty show of strength, she slammed the door, Jacob releasing his hand barely in time.

Poor Lucy, Mimi thought.

"Well," said Jacob, staring at his claws. "That was certainly a reaction."

"She knows him," Mimi agreed. "Talk to her again."

"Mimi, I know you've lived in some remote castle and now you're a goose and don't know the ways of life here, but I simply cannot bother her again without risking her wrath. I'll bother her later. Now, I still have a dinner to somehow put together and you're not going to be around."

"I don't want to go back to your quarters. You said I could stay in the kitchen!"

"And I changed my mind. Besides, I can't risk losing the Duke's future dinner." He picked her up and walked to his door. "Now I can throw you in here again or you can go in with some semblance of self-respect."

"Fine." She squirmed in his grasp until he set her down. "You said you had books."

"Yes, in the other room." He opened the door into darkness. "Forgot a candle." He fumbled at the table before a spark started and the room lit up. He then opened the other door. "This is where I sleep. The books are in here. I can't really read, but they were when I moved in. You're welcome to them."

Jacob's bedroom was as simple as the other. There was a small, low bed, a fireplace, a washing basin on top of a bureau, and not much else. The books were in a dusty pile underneath a table where a chess set lay. Mimi's interest was immediately piqued. "You play chess?"

"When there's time and I have a partner and we actually feel like playing chess," Jacob said as he pulled out the books. "I mostly liked the set. There's a woodsmith in town who makes them. It was a fun purchase. Would that relieve your boredom, Miss Goose?"

She had not played chess in years. Her father had an old set, and sometimes she would play with his guests. "Maybe."

"Well, here are your books." He dropped them before her with an explosion of dust. "Enjoy. I'll be back in an hour or so."

The books at least quelled some of her nerves. It had been so long since she had been able to read something, had the time to read something. She managed to knock a book of poetry to the floor and flip the pages with her bill. Shakespeare's sonnets, she soon realized. Perfect.

She was half-way through the volume when Jacob returned with a dish of water and some stewed greens. "I thought you might want something better than bread," he said as he set them down. "Though I did bake that bread."

"Thank-you." She took a scoop of some peas. "You're a good cook."

"I should be. I've spent years at it."

Mimi took a drink. "How many people disobeyed orders?"

"Very few, I think. In fact, I haven't seen anyone stupid enough not to listen. It would take the Duke days to notice no one about as it is. So we just finished up dinner and called it a night. At least no one else is dead. Yet."

"Did you see Lucy?"

"I just told you I saw no one." Jacob picked up the book of sonnets, stared blankly at a page, and put it back. "How about a game of chess?"

She looked wistfully at the board. It did sound fun. "I… I wanted to squeeze in a few hours of sleep before two o'clock."

"You're going out again?" His voice rose to a yell. "You were included in those instructions."

"I have to see the Prince again," she said. "He's expecting me. No one ever told him about the murder."

"He's probably not in danger and I'm sure his guards probably got the message to keep him better in check. Mimi, I'm not going to let you leave."

"When I have hands I can open the door."

Jacob swore under his breath, snatched up the book, and threw it against the wall. "And you'll be a human. Something is going on here. Lucy knew this man."

"That has nothing to do with me."

"And if some madman is randomly killing people, nothing-to-do-with-you won't matter."

That quieted Mimi, and the terror of the evening returned. "Oh."

Jacob smiled, sharp teeth showing. "Good. I knew you'd see it my way."

"I guess I'll play chess."

The game began. Neither of them had any particular talent, so despite determination on both their parts or perhaps because of it, the game trailed on a lengthy while before Jacob somehow managed to win. Jacob's reminder of the murder had put Mimi in a place far past sleeping, so three more games continued into the night. Mimi managed to win the last.

It was nearly two o'clock.

"Checkmate," she announced. "I need to change."

"Huh?" Jacob accepted his loss graciously. "Oh. Your spell. I guess we'll it a night, then. I still won the most matches."

"Hooray for you. Close your door behind me." She slipped into the sitting room, as she now thought of it. As the clock struck two, the feathers melted away into skin. After that day it was like a warm bath. She slipped on the dress. What now? Jacob wouldn't let her go out into the hall and frankly she did not think she wanted to any longer. She had not heard from Blake all day. And somehow it seemed a waste of an hour to spend her human time sleeping.

She thought of Matthias, suffering through a card game with the resident noble called His Madness. He had tried to find her today. When that had failed, what had he done? Returned to the library? Had he read anything intereseting?

A knock came from Jacob's door.

"You can come in," she called.

Jacob opened the door and stared. She suddenly felt so much taller than him. "Oh. You really do change back into a human."

She laughed. "You didn't believe me?"

He shrugged. "I honestly did not think too much about it after I found you the stupid dress."

"Does it suit me?" She held out the skirt.

Another shrug. "I don't know if I'm the best person to ask about things like that. But you're not hideous."

"Thank-you." She sat back into the chair. It felt so different when she was her proper size. "Shall we play another match?"

"You're bored again."

"I can't leave with a murderer running about." Stupid murderer, ruining her night. "I don't know what else to do."

"Well, you could sleep. And it is just an hour, as you say."

She shot him a withering look. "I don't appreciate the reminder."

"You're welcome. "

They were both silent as the clock softly ticked.

"I have an idea," Jacob finally said, turning back to his room.

"Another game?"

"No." He reappeared with a knife.

Mimi gasped and jumped to her feet.

"Relax. It's nothing. Here." He pressed it into her hand. "Go out. Have your fun. Use this if the murderer comes at you, though I doubt it would do much. But heaven forbid I keep you in here."

She smiled. "Thank-you!"

"Just don't announce your spell to the whole manor this time."


	12. In Which Mimi and Matthias Meet Again

_Yay! I was able to get this up by Christmas! Merry Christmas, everyone!_

* * *

Though Mimi tried to summon every bit of bravery in her human body, the truth was that she had never felt so terrified. And yet the terror was somehow delicious and she was a character in one of those stories from her childhood. She clutched Jacob's little kitchen knife as her mind balanced between a storybook delight and the possibility whomever had killed Eugen had managed to sneak into the manor.

It was almost with disappointment that she found Prince Matthias waiting for her.

He stood this time, book at his feet, body impatient. His eyes, which Mimi assumed would eventually darken with lack of sleep, were eager and anticipating.

"Mimi!" he whispered loudly as she came around the corner. "You came!"

Mimi smiled. He was so wonderful. "Of course I came. I couldn't sleep."

The prince smiled back. "Neither could I. But I suppose I already told you that." He bent down and picked up the book at his feet. "I've been reading. Again."

"I read Shakespeare today, myself." Finally, someone with whom she could speak about books. Should she be so forward with her daily events to a prince? But then again she had never been raised to offer royalty such servitude-like respect. She was the daughter of Weatherbold. "What are you reading?"

He gave a small laugh and set down the book once more. "Not Shakespeare, I'm afraid. Though I must say I'm impressed you would know of him."

"You think I wouldn't read Shakespeare?"

He blushed. He was adorable when he blushed. "I'm sorry. I did not mean to infer. But I've never heard of a servant girl reading Shakespeare. Or forestry reports."

"I'm not a servant girl." The words were out of her mouth before she even thought them, and then the thought of her servitude of Lavender came. "I mean, I'm not a servant here." Oh, dear. She did not know what was the truth.

"I inferred again, didn't I?" Prince Matthias seemed so ashamed. "I guess I just assumed. I even went around today asking about a servant girl with your name. No wonder they did not recognize you."

"Yet would they not recognize my name were I a lady here?"

A final wave of humiliation passed over Matthias' face, but then he bowed graciously. "I'm terrible at this, Miss Mimi. Terrible. Forgive my royal blundering."

Mimi laughed. She could not help it. "You are certainly more graceful than last night."

His face reddened in the starlight. "I… I didn't realize how bad I was last night. Believe it or not, my duties don't put me in the way of people as much as one think they would."

This was not the prince she had always imagined. At all. But somehow that did not matter.

Matthias stepped closer to her. "Well, then, Mimi, whomever you are. If you are not a lady and you are not a servant, who are you?"

"Would you believe gardener?"

"I don't think I would. I spent plenty of time outdoors yesterday without coming across you." He frowned. "You're not a ghost, are you?"

He seemed to truly consider the possibility. "What would you say if I said yes?"

"You are a ghost. Incredible. Where are you buried?" His smile returned. "If I lead you straight into the moonlight will you disappear? How can I avenge your death?"

She laughed again. "I'm afraid I haven't yet had the time to make up the story of my tragic demise."

Then he took her hand, brought it to her lips, and kissed it. Her entire body tingled. "I imagined a ghost would be little more than wisp. You're quite corporeal."

"Thanks. Though I miss being a ghost."

"Really. Who are you?"

She took a deep breath. Jacob had been so firm about not mentioning her curse. But… "Seriously, now. What would you say if I were under a curse? A spell?"

He laughed and stepped back. "Mimi, you are an enigma. I never answered your question. I think you might appreciate this book." Once more he scooped it up in excitement. "The Duke has an entire shelf of history. This one pertains to just the city!"

She followed him, suddenly desperate to tell all. "Please! Prince Matthias, what would you say?"

He was already flipping through the book, eyes on the pages. Book balanced in one hand he fished his spectacles from his pocket. "Um, I don't know. I don't know very much about curses and spells. I mean, I believe in them. There is a magician at my father's court. Is that superstitious of me?"

"I'm telling the truth!"

He closed the book and held it to his chest. His eyes blinked behind the spectacles. "I… I don't know what to say."

"It's why you couldn't find me today. It's why no one had heard of me. I'm only human, this, until three o'clock." She gestured at her body.

Matthias' jaw was slack. "You're serious."

She nodded, suddenly breathless. What had she just done? She put her hand to her mouth. "I… I wasn't supposed to say anything."

"Thank heaven you did. What kind of curse?"

A goose. An ugly, lowly and common goose. "I can't say. The spell forbids it."

"But you're something!" he said, voice rising. "You're… you're here in the manor, right? During the day?"

She nodded.

"Can I find you?"

She shook her head. He could not see her as a goose. It was never that way in the stories. Princesses turned into beautiful birds.

"Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "I don't know how to break the curse."

The hall was silent.

"I supposed it helped you avoid the murder," Matthias finally said.

"The murder?" Mimi stared at him. "You heard about the murder? You weren't supposed to know about that! They… I heard them! No one was to let you and the Duke know! Who told you?"

He shrugged. "I suppose something like a murder is hard to keep mum. The head of household placed guards in front of my room. I found that suspicious and soon wormed out a tidbit or two from the guards."

"Does the Duke know?"

"No offense, but I don't imagine the Duke pays much attention to what happens here."

She nodded, imagining the same. "Why are you here?"

"Business," Matthias said. "Mere business. And politics. Your Duke is very much on his own out here, and I don't pity him that. He has good land. My father is trying to improve relationships with the nobility, so I'm here as an ambassador of sorts. I don't mind. I'm not the heir to the throne, so it's nice to receive some political duties."

"I think it would be fun to travel like that," said Mimi.

"It is! I hope to do more. At least I can visit libraries. I love reading. I can learn so much."

"That book you were showing me. Sorry to have interrupted you."

He waved his hand. "It's all right. Your curse is more fascinating."

She grinned in spite of herself. "You're the first to think of my curse as fascinating."

"And I don't even know the details! But, well, a curse strikes me as interesting. Almost an adventure." He grasped her hand again, and she found herself staring into his face. "I want to help you break it."

Her heart spun. "I… I don't know how to break it. Or even if it can be broke."

"That's silly. All curses must have a cure. It's only logical."

She sighed. "And how I just have to find what course of logic will help me."

"When you do, tell me."

No one but Blake was trying to find a way to help her. She almost wanted to cry. "Thank-you."

He kissed her hand again. "It's nearly three o'clock."

"I should go." She did not want to, but he released her.

"Tomorrow night?" he asked as he returned to his book.

She nodded, then fled down the hall.


	13. In Which We Get Some History

_Thanks to all my readers! I find it amusing you differ in your opinions on the Prince. Bwahahaha! Does he deserve suspicion and scrutiny or is just a nice, cute specimen of royalty?_

_'K, so there's a lot of plot and clues in this one... see if you can't put anything together. Including those of you who have already read the original fairy tale. _

* * *

Mimi slept late the following morning, an effect of the late nights and the excitement of the murder, the latter of which she nearly forgot about until she awoke to a dreary gloom hanging over the window rather than daylight. A poetic sequel to a murder. She yawned, stretched her wings, and fluttered rather gracefully from the chair to the floor. She was beginning to get the hang of the goosey body. How dreadful. The brown dress she had worn lay over the other chair where she had left it. On the floor was breakfast, finally remembered by Jacob, consisting of a very sweet roll and, to her delight, apple cider. She ate it up with all the refinement a goose could possibly muster, though she observed eating was almost simpler without the bother of utensils.

The clock's hands were at a quarter to ten, when she finally glanced at it. For heaven's sake, she had never slept so late! Like a spoiled princess. Yet it did feel wonderful. Even Eugen's murder seemed little more than a nightmare. And Prince Matthias… Her heart melted at the very thought of him. He was a dream. A wonderful, wonderful dream that was real. He wanted to help her. He cared about her. He wanted to break the spell.

She hopped back up to the windowsill and stared out. The air was heavy with coming rain and marvelously still. She had always loved it just before it rained. At home she would find the coziest part of the castle and read while listening to the rain and thunder. No doubt Prince Matthias would do something similar. What did Blake do when it rained? Poor little squirrel. She missed him. Prince Matthias would have to break the spell so Blake would not have to.

She sighed and turned away from the window. The door to Jacob's room was slightly ajar. He was just remembering everything this morning. But despite the coming rain Mimi did not feel like reading. She was restless. A man had been murdered on the grounds just last night. Perhaps that was why Jacob hadn't opened the door to the hall. As if an intelligent murder would be snooping through servants' quarters during the day.

Who had murdered Eugen? Lucy had seemed terrified for him. What had Eugen done that put him in such apparent danger and what did Lucy know about it? Mimi should have put the prior night's hour to good use and gone to question Lucy herself. As if Lucy would answer the questions of a perfect stranger. Well, for all Mimi knew, Eugen's murderer had begun a rampage just that morning and now the entire manor was drenched in everyone's blood and she remained the only living creature. That was a thought to send a shiver down her spine.

Either way, she was once again trapped in the room and venturing outside hadn't done much good the day before. She balanced herself on the top of the chair and spread out her wings. They felt so much stronger.

"One, two, three," she murmured. She sprang from the chair with her wings flapping vibrantly. The result felt silly and the noise her wings made filled the room, but there was no denying she was aloft. Pity there was not much space in the little room. But without too much fuss she landed back on the floor.

The little flight was exhilarating. With a laugh she sprang back up to the top of the chair for a repeat. In a half hour's time she could perform the cramped semblance of a soar from chair to ceiling to wall to floor, enough to make any intelligent goose proud.

Jacob opened the door in the middle of her last flight and they both screamed as she nearly collided into him. She managed to make it the floor while Jacob stared at her as if she were crazy.

"Bored?" he finally asked.

Indignantly, she used her bill to smooth down her ruffled feathers, hardly caring how bird-like the behavior. "You locked me in here! Again!"

He sighed. "It doesn't look good to have a goose randomly wandering the halls by itself."

"I didn't realize I required a chaperone."

"I didn't realize you wanted to be dead."

Mimi's heart froze. "What do you mean? Did someone else die?"

"What?" Jacob moved across the room to the other door. "What are you talking about?"

"You made it sound so dangerous out there that I thought—"

"Oh, good grief. Nothing happened. I don't think anyone is else is going to die anytime soon."

"Then why did you say that?"

He reappeared with the wide-brimmed hat he had worn that first day at the market. "I don't know! I just said it. I didn't mean anything."

She felt silly. "Well, you scared me."

"You're really worked up about this, aren't you? It's probably nothing. Maybe your Eugen friend had some gambling debts he wound up paying with his life."

"I told you, something is going on. He knew Lucy."

Jacob shrugged. "Maybe Lucy gambles."

"So all your instructions and commands and… let's just call them full-blown commandments with the way you were talking last night… those were for nothing?"

"I never said they were nothing. Safety first. Michael contacted the priest, paid him for his silence, and the poor soul is hopefully at peace in a proper grave. Now excuse me, but I have some shopping to do. Not that this is the day for it." Indeed, the rain had arrived.

Outside? "I want to come."

"No, you can't come." Jacob was already at the door to the hall.

"Please?"

"No. I have a reputation in this city, and it doesn't include strolling about with a goose."

"Personally, I think it would show your customers just how well you treat their merchandise. Or you could pretend you are selling me."

He gave her an odd look. "Why would I be selling a goose?"

She tried a different tactic. "Maybe I'll see my friend again. Maybe he will have figured something out. And then maybe you don't have the joy of my company anymore."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Come on, but if you do anything to humiliate me I will wring your neck and that is a promise." He pushed the door open and started off without waiting for Mimi.

She slipped out behind him, laughing to herself. She could have sworn she had detected the smallest smile on his face.

Jacob stopped at the kitchen, where a delicious-smelling soup simmered on the stove. "Abe! Are you ready?"

The boy dumped a handful of peas into the soup and nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Going to practice your shopping skills?" Michael asked. He sat on a chair by the fire. "That is if you don't ruin the soup?"

Abe nodded and scrambled for his jacket, which lay on the floor, getting filthy.

"It's a big part of his training, recognizing decent ingredients," said Jacob.

"Much agreed." Michael face changed. "Jacob, while you're in town…" He pulled a small purse from his apron pocket and handed it to him.

"You want me to pick something up for you?"

"No." Michael lowered his voice, but not enough that Mimi couldn't hear. "Give this to the priest."

"I thought you already paid—"

"Well, it's more. And ask him if he's heard any word in town about it. If anyone has asked about that poor man."

"Wow, Michael, you're really concerned about this."

"I think there's more to it than just a single murder. Do you know much about the history of this manor?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Michael's round face went red as his voice reversed directions into a shout. "Everything! I know you haven't been here long, young man, but there's a lot more to the Duke that you should know!"

Jacob seemed hardly phased. "Then tell me and make it quick because you now have the boy listening."

Abe stood, forgotten and ashen-faced, his jacket half on his body.

Michael took a deep breath. "I wasn't even thinking. I am so sorry."

"You're on edge," replied Jacob. "We all are."

Michael shook his head and sighed again. "But I'm head cook and should have some sense of decorum. Just… just talk to the priest."

"Of course. Abe, let's go."

Poor Abe probably couldn't handle anymore terror, and Mimi hoped for his sake the market would be uneventful.

No one said a word until they were safely outside. The air was freezing with rain and the sky grumbled threateningly.

"Jacob, what was that all about?" Abe asked as they left the manor gate.

"What was what about?"

"That. In the kitchen. About the duke and the dead man."

"Honestly," said Jacob, "I have no idea. I'm beginning to get the impression no one tells me anything anymore."

If he would just listen, Mimi thought bitterly.

"I had nightmares last night about him," Abe said with surprising nonchalance. "I've never seen a dead body before."

"Nasty things, aren't they? So, shall we first visit the priest for the secret mission or shop?"

"The vegetables will be slightly fresher if we get them last."

"I doubt it would make much of a difference, but you're at least thinking correctly."

The city was a blur of buildings Mimi did not recognize. Should she? The rain did its job of keeping the sane indoors and the few that were out kept their heads well covered.

"Do people really set out their stands in this weather?" Abe asked the question Mimi had been thinking. "I mean, it's almost crazy."

"We're the ones walking about with a goose and it's just rain." Jacob had not even bothered with an umbrella. "It takes truly lousy weather to keep people from their livelihood."

The church was a small but lovely building that had managed to earn itself an impressive garden. Even in the gloomy air it was charming. The priest was a tall man with graying hair but a kind demeanor. So sad that such as he would have to be drawn into a murder. He managed a smile as they approached. "Ah, another envoy from the Duke's manor. I had the poor man buried last night. Would you like to look upon the grave?"

Abe nodded enthusiastically but Jacob said no. "I brought this from Michael." He offered the priest the purse.

"I can't take that," said the priest. "I've done as much as I can offer, what any soul should do."

"Michael wants to know if anyone has asked after the man," Jacob continued.

"No one but the Prince."

Mimi gasped, the sound coming out as a honk.

"The Prince?" Jacob repeated. "He was here?"

"Not half an hour ago. He heard of the incident and came to pay his respects. I'd tell the both of you your both asking after the man, but as you all come from the Duke's manor I imagine it pointless." He paused a moment, thoughtful. "I thought only the servants knew of this."

"So did I." Jacob shot Mimi a glare.

"This is probably idle gossip beneath my duty," continued the priest. "But you know how we all feel about His Madness." Apparently the nickname was not limited to the manor. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did it. Heaven has seen enough blood spilt over this land."

Abe looked ready to faint.

"When was that?"

"Some years before you came to this city. We shouldn't speak of the past that is gone."

"Tell me, please. It's nothing I've heard."

The priest closed his eyes and murmured what was possibly a prayer under his breath. "I'd almost say that would be best. But most of us know His Madness did not acquire his title through the most appropriate of lines. The tragic rumor is that he killed the last duke—a cousin of his or something."

"My father talks about that sometimes," Abe said softly. "But my mother says it's just hearsay."

"Hearsay and rumors," the priest confirmed with a nod. He sighed. "Please return the money to the head cook and tell him I will listen for whatever I can."

"Take it for the church or the poor or something," Jacob pressed. "You know Michael. I can't return with this."

"You are right." The priest took the purse and poured its few coins into a box at the wall. "It has been good to see you, Jacob, and I hope nothing else happens up there."

"Same here," said Jacob.

Mimi was itching to speak to Jacob. The priest had all but confirmed something was going on with Eugen's murder. But she half-suspected he had brought Abe along to keep her silent.

Jacob scooped her up as they left the churchyard. "You're very slow, bird," he muttered. But she could feel his heart pounding. The priest's tale had put him on edge, as well.

As he had predicted, the market square had its fair share of stands, all protected with tarps and cloth. Jacob gave Abe a lengthy lesson on selecting fruits and vegetables and weight and size and feel and Mimi was surprised to find she understood a good half of it. Abe did most of the shopping under Jacob's watchful eye, handing coins to rather bored-looking sellers. Elva and her geese were thankfully nowhere in sight.

Abe was chattier on the walk home, discussing, mostly by himself, everything from the murder to his new shopping skills to meaningless manor gossip.

"Y'know, I could come down here and do the shopping," he said. "I'd be great at it. I wouldn't waste your time to bring me here."

"I prefer to do my own shopping," Jacob said with a forced laugh. "You know that. Besides, the city is dangerous. Pickpockets around every corner ready to snatch the clothes off your back, wicked fairies looking for bad children to take, boy-eating gypsies. Hey, maybe the murderer is still out there."

The last one managed to quiet Abe.


	14. In Which Blake Tells His Story

_Thank-you, my readers! Um, I know one of my genres is "humor". Well, this chapter doesn't exactly fit that. My apologies in advance. I'm thinking about changing the genres a little._

* * *

The rest of the afternoon left Mimi to her own devices, and that meant a dreary day of silence in Jacob's quarters. With Abe constantly about she could not find a moment to speak with Jacob about the murder. Perhaps it was just as well. The priest's words, even in memory, chilled Mimi and brought with them the weight of everything else wrong in her life. She had always liked rainy days, but this one wanted nothing more than to make her think when she had no desire to think. She was still a goose. Something terrible had happened to her father and Blake was unable to find him. Someone was dead and now buried in a nameless grave, no doubt. The Duke of the manor, His Madness, was a killer. She had been terrified and upset before, of course, but that simple trip to the market place had snagged something in her heart. Of the two people with whom she could speak, one was too busy for her and the other was who knew where.

And so she was left, a pathetic little bird, curled up in a blue armchair in a blue room under the window with blue curtains, staring at the rain and crying and feeling rather blue herself.

She had not expected this. Any of this. So this was the world? No traveler had mentioned that any of his stories in reality would be terrible. This new turn of her life was not fun, not entertaining… though the thought of Prince Matthias gave her pause. But even he represented a little less than an hour a night. He was a good man, of that she was certain. He had vowed to break her spell. Little good was that vow when Lavender had left no instruction.

It might have been just the rain, drizzly and dull, sliding down the glass that made her so miserable. The logical part of her mind admitted that much. Little things like that could affect a mood. But her heart still hurt.

But she had spent a few years as a servant. An hour passed, a portion of another, and Mimi finally began to fight the gloom. Get up, she told herself. She had done it before, morning after morning. Get up, start the fire, draw the water, cook, bake, make yourself useful.

She took a deep breath, stretched her wings, and flipped open the window. Maybe a little more rain would do her good.

She really needed to convince Jacob to leave the door to the hall open.

Any threat of thunder had passed, and for a moment she considered flying back home, finding her father and settling the score. She should have asked Blake for directions. The rain was the same as it had been at the window. She closed her eyes and imagined it was the rain she had always loved.

The grounds were not empty, despite the rain. She caught a gardener taking the opportunity to pull weeds from the muddy soil. A servant girl in the distance was at the well. The very well where Eugen had been murdered. Mimi shuddered. And yet the girl drew water, heaving the bucket over the stone wall and onto the ground before sitting down next to it with her knees in her chest.

The servant was Lucy.

At last the self-pitying ended. Lucy was the one with the broken heart, if that kiss had meant anything to her at all. Poor Lucy.

The rain drenched Mimi's feathers and she instinctively shook them, spraying water back into water. She stretched out her wings and took to the air. The rain did not mind, though the vastness of the air compared to that tiny room was shocking. Ten feet, twelve feet, and she returned for a landing.

Lucy didn't notice. The girl was frozen, eyes staring hard into nothing.

Mimi had never been around many women, besides Lavender. Were she human, would she be expected to do something for Lucy? She found herself wanting to say something, anything.

A squirrel darted through the grass, tail soggy and limp with rain.

Blake? She wondered.

The squirrel stopped almost a foot away from Lucy, who didn't notice that animal, either. The squirrel was as still as Lucy.

"Blake?" Mimi called. She probably should have said nothing. The moment his name was out she felt guilty.

The squirrel turned around. Yes, it was Blake. A smile on his furry face, he ran to her.

"Mimi," he said with forced cheer. "Good to see you out and about. Though I wouldn't recommend this weather. How are things?"

Ah, her tiny, brave champion! Checking on her well-being. If only there hadn't been that murder. "Um…"

"What's wrong with Lucy?" Blake asked.

"You know her name?" Mimi stared at Lucy, who still had yet to move. "Something… happened last night."

"To you?" Blake came closer to her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Blake was trying to help. If a murder made the situation dangerous, it was best he knew. He said he knew this place. But the words were sticky and heavy in her throat. "There was a murder."

He didn't move.

"Someone was killed."

"That's the general definition of murder," he said softly.

Something was very wrong. Mimi could feel it. "I was in the kitchen with my friend Jacob. The servant boy came running in. He had found this man outside. Right there, by the well. He had been stabbed in the heart."

Blake was silent.

Why would he not say anything? She filled the silence with more words. "I saw him just that morning. Talking with Lucy. He—"

"What was his name?" Blake's words were not a question as much as a demand.

"His name?"

"Mimi, what was the man's name? Please. Did you hear it?"

"Eugen."

With that Blake was off, spinning in a blur and dashing off up a tree. He slid among the branches like he had been a squirrel his whole life. Maybe he had been. Maybe he wasn't under a spell.

"Blake!" Mimi called. She could see him clinging to the top of the tree. The branches moved ever so slightly in the rain. "Blake!"

Useless. She decided she would just leave. Somehow that was the worst reaction to the murder yet and she doubted he would be coming down soon. She turned.

"Mimi?"

She looked around to see Blake now on a lower branch. "I'm sorry. I just thought you would want to know."

He shook his head. "It's all right. Thank-you." His voice was oddly quiet.

"Though I must say I don't understand why—"

"I think I owe you an explanation."

A strong part of her screamed out that yes, he did owe her an explanation, that she had been curious about him since they had met.

"Eugen is—was—my elder brother."

It was Mimi's turn for silence.

Blake looked up at the clouds and sighed. "Let's go inside where it's dry."

She nodded, unable to think, and led the way back to the window. She had left it open and a small lake had formed on the windowsill. She splashed through it as she hopped down to the chair. Blake followed, though he chose to sit on the floor, tail curled around him.

"I'm sorry," she finally said. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't. Why would you know? I never said anything." He sighed again. "I guess I didn't want to bother you with my problems when you had yours."

"He was your brother. That's a bigger problem than any of mine."

Blake shrugged. "But you were the lady. You still are." He paused. "Do you know who did?"

"No. No one does."

"It happened about nine years ago," he said. "This building, these grounds… they belonged to my family."

_Heaven has seen enough blood spilt over this land… he killed the last duke… _

"My father was the duke here. Eugen and I were raised here. Eugen was to take the title. But my father had a relative, Silus. He was in line for the title, but only after me. We weren't prepared and Silus was sneaky. He had a few soldiers, assassins. They came and murdered my father and my mother. Eugen and I escaped that night, but we were separated. I was seventeen at the time, but I was scared. I hate to admit it, but I hadn't left the manor much and after a night like that…" He shuddered. "Then, outside the town, I met this woman."

"Lavender," Mimi whispered.

Blake nodded. "Lavender. Next thing I knew, I was as you see me now. She forced me to eat these roots..."

"Blake, I had no idea. I guessed she were under her spell, but I had no idea."

"I couldn't find Eugen. I stayed around the manor for a time. I didn't know where else to go. Servants fled for their own safety. Why Lucy's family returned, I don't know. She's the only one I've ever recognized here. They worked for us." His voice softened as he spoke. "I couldn't do anything as a squirrel. I'm sure you know the feeling. I was useless. I couldn't find my brother. So I hunted down Lavender. Make her change me back. That's when I realized you were in danger. I've seen her. She does it all the time. Capture them. Change them. The town, well, I guess it went on. Silus didn't bother them, much. They just accepted it. But Eugen… I didn't expect him to return. He shouldn't have. Silus probably found out he was here." His tiny paw became a fist.

"They buried Eugen," Mimi said. "At the church yard. The servants here told no one. They didn't want the Duke to know."

"Apparently he found out. Mimi, I hate to leave you when I just arrived but…"

"I understand. Go."

She watched him leave, scurrying out through the window.

The Duke. His Madness. He wasn't the rightful duke.

With Eugen dead, Blake was.


	15. In Which There is Skulking

_So... it's kind of long. It just happened that way. Sorry. Thanks for everyone who is reading! You that comment... most appreciated. Now, is there too much conversation in this chapter? _

* * *

"And so, this little squirrel I've known for only a few days turns out to be the very man who should be in charge of this entire town!" The words were triumphant in Mimi's mouth, the kind of story she had heard all through her childhood, only awaiting some daring hero. "Running this manor!" She shook her wings as if they were arms. So useless for physical expression.

"All because of Lavender. Mm." Five words were the only sign Jacob had listened to her at all. His long, hooked nose was bent over the floured table where he busily kneaded some sort of sweet-smelling dough. The hazy scent of cinnamon filled the little kitchen.

"That's all you can say?" Mimi demanded. "You sound a little neutral to all of this. It's amazing!"

"Amazing, yes, if your squirrel friend is telling the truth." He grabbed a rolling pin and took it to the dough.

"You don't believe me or you don't believe him?"

"Oh, I believe both of you. It's just my nature to be contrary. I'm just trying to figure out what this… Duke Blake, I guess, has been doing all these years."

"He's been a squirrel."

"And…?"

Jacob was being contrary. Mimi sighed. "I don't know, Jacob! Doing… squirrel things. Looking for his brother, trying to find Lavender, which he did, which led to finding me, trying to get Lavender to change him back… what do people turned to squirrels do? Live in a tree eating nuts. I didn't ask him to chronicle his life. He just found out his brother was murdered. He was a little preoccupied with that."

"At least we've identified that man."

"He deserves more than what he got." Poor Blake. "I just want to know who killed him."

Jacob shrugged. "The Duke is my best guess. Eugen comes around, someone from the old days recognizes him… I think it's pretty simple to deduce what happened next."

"They could have hid the body, whoever did it."

"And ruin our delightful little drama of last night?" With a knife he cut and shaped the dough.

The hour was late, and the kitchen was empty save for the two of them, nobility and servants having long since eaten and gone. Cooking, baking, any of that, was something Jacob did when he was bored, he said, and Mimi was grateful for the conversation.

"He's a person, Jacob. Or was. How could you be so cruel?"

"Geeze, Mimi, I didn't mean it like that." He pounded down a lump of dough and shook his head. "We were all there last night. I was upset, too. A dead man is not a laughing manner. I'm the one who suddenly had the responsibility of everyone's safety thrown upon me. And now all day I'm getting different views on the subject. I'm sorry. I feel terrible the rightful duke was killed. I imagine he was a much nicer person than the freak that is the current duke. Again, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry, too. I overreacted."

"But you are the one who said "or was" to his state," Jacob replied with the slightest of grins.

Mimi found herself smiling, too. Then she remembered Blake. She gazed at the door, wondering where he was, if he were safe, though the storm had long since dissipated and the sky even bore a few stars. "We shouldn't joke at a time like this."

"Come on. Something bad is always happening somewhere. When can you joke?"

"You're not exactly the type of.. whatever you are… I'd peg as a joker."

He shrugged and began putting the doughy rolls onto a pan. "Well, then I say one can always appreciate humor."

"What are you, anyway? I mean no offense. I'm just asking. What are you?" She tried to think of the perfect word. "Species wise?" Good as any.

He turned to her, face and body half-covered in flour, and smiled. "What do you think?"

"I think you're a lunatic who is talking to a goose. I don't know. That's an unfair question."

"Interesting. I thought the same about yours."

"No, it's fair. Maybe presumptuous. Was it presumptuous? Did I offend you?"

He certainly did not seem offended. Jacob grinned as if it were all the greatest joke in the world. He seemed to enjoy her curiosity. "No, I'm not offended. I've been asked it before."

"Well?" She hopped down from the stool on which she had sat, hoping to appear more aggressive, though in the end she just felt a stool's height shorter. "What are you? Goblin? Troll? Some race of dwarf?"

"Did you just call me a troll?"

"No, I asked if you were one."

"Do you think I am?"

She stared hard at him. "No. Trolls live in dark places, like under bridges or forests. So you couldn't be a troll."

"I'm flattered." He returned to his rolls. "Though I could be a troll who likes cooking."

"Don't trolls prefer their meat raw?"

"I couldn't tell you what trolls prefer. But I will say that some meat is very tasty with minimal cooking."

"Hm. Well, whatever you are, I think it's great you can cook."

He seemed genuinely pleased. "Thanks."

"So are you going to tell me what you are?"

He stepped down from his own stool to place the rolls in the bread oven. "How does the term "freak" sound to you?"

"I don't like it. Is that what you consider yourself?"

"I don't consider myself anything." Jacob dusted the flour from his clothes. "You know, Mimi, you sure are interested in everyone but you. You slice me apart, you're worried over your friend Blake… can I remind you that you're the one under a curse?"

He was right. "I guess I forgot about that in light of Eugen and Blake." Fury rose up in her. "And then you stand there like it is no big deal! How can you work for someone like that?"

"Technically, it was Michael who hired me. And I told you before. It's a job. In fact, it's a wonderful position. Besides, all of this happened long before I came here."

"Would Michael know anything about it?"

"Anything about what? This hostile take-over of the manor and city? Possibly, if he's been here long enough. He's never said anything to me."

"Where is he?"

"I have no idea. Why? Are you aiming to skulk around here? For what?"

That took her back. "… I'm not sure. I just want to help Blake. Maybe look for clues that the Duke really killed Eugen?"

"You mean go to the Duke's personal chambers?"

For a long time they simply stared at one another, apprehensive. Yet the interest was sparked.

"Would you know the way?" Mimi finally asked. "It's a big house…"

"I'm not an idiot, it's not that big, I fairly know my way around. But I'm a cook, Mimi. I could not even pretend to have any personal business with the Duke, not like the maids. I am not going to even pretend to clean up after someone, especially someone who is crazy."

"But it is late."

"And skulking is best done when it is late," he agreed.

And so they were off.

It was not yet midnight, and the manor did not hold quite the same eerie air of her two o'clock meetings. But as soon as they had passed the servants' quarters the halls dropped to pure silence. There was enjoyment in the spookiness, but Mimi was grateful to have a companion. She did not recognize the halls they passed, though she did wonder which room had been given to Prince Matthias. Was he thinking of her? Would he come tonight? Was he sleeping, resting until two o'clock? Of course, that question led to the more pertinent question of what she and Jacob could discover if everyone were asleep.

Jacob paused at a corner. Around it stood a large set of doors that reached from floor to ceiling. Two guards were posted at either side of the doors, though one appeared to be sleeping while the others sat playing cards.

"I'm fairly sure beyond there is the Duke's private quarters," Jacob said in the barest whisper.

"Sure is fancy enough. What are we supposed to learn if he's sleeping?"

"The first question is how do we get past them. The sleeping one, Carl, won't be a problem. If he's drunk anything tonight, he'll be out."

"You're serious about this!"

"Why not?" he asked with a shrug. "It's your idea."

"But there's guards…" She took a deep breath and stepped out from the corner.

None of the guards noticed. Carl snored loudly.

She glanced back at Jacob, who appeared to be amused, and honked loudly. The humiliating sound was enough to snare their attentions. The effect was hardly a dramatic reaction, but it was reaction enough.

"Is that the pet goose from the kitchen?" one asked.

Apparently she was making quite a name for herself.

"What's it doing out?" Another guard, a big man with a bushy red beard, stood up. "Here, goosey, goosey."

"That's not how you call a goose, you fool."

"Then you do it!"

Playing the trusting goose, Mimi approached them. After all, they didn't seem so threatening.

It turned out the "correct" goose call was some horrible fake honking that sent the other two guards into gales of laughter. One picked at a bit of meat he had and tossed it towards her.

She immediately thought of Jacob and the raw troll meat discussion. She gave another honk.

"What are you trying to do?" Jacob mouthed. He was pressed against the wall.

"Distracting them."

They certainly did seem distracted by a loose goose running about the manor. By then all three were on their feet.

With a final honk, she turned and darted.

"We can't have that bird loose here!" yelled a guard.

"It's just a goose."

"Michael and Jacob will be furious if they can't find that thing tomorrow. Carl can guard the stupid doors. I'm bored of it."

Apparently the guards were no more devoted to the Duke than anything else, because the idea of a literal goose chase sure became the plan of their night. Mimi ran into the shadow between torch sconces, thrilled as the men pounded after her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Jacob, watching with amazement, as he was passed undetected. Then he slipped around the corner.

What had persuaded them to do this?

She rounded another corner. The guards were still after her, non-serious, treating it as the game of the night, jesting with one another on catching a goose. They must really be hard up for entertainment. She paused for the briefest moment and stared at them with the vacant eyes she imagined on a real goose, then sprang back around the corner and under a covered table she had noticed before.

"Where did it go?"

"Yeah. I still have the bet on myself winning."

Lovely. Now she was a gamble. But she did not plan to spend the night racing through the halls. She closed her eyes and thought of the few spells she had ever learned from her father. Basic things, simple and practical. There was one… more of a skill than a spell… She thought of the hallway, deep, shadowy, and focused her voice there…

A goosey honk blasted through distant shadows.

"How did it get over there?" The men's footsteps faded.

She found herself already missing the chase. She slipped out from under the cloth and headed toward the grand set of doors. Jacob was there, looking bemusedly at the snoring Carl. "Mimi. You made it."

She tossed her head back. "It was my idea to skulk."

"I was the first one to bring up the word "skulk" if you remember. Now quiet." With a final glance at Carl, he pushed open a door.

Immediately Mimi was struck by how stupid and random this plan was.

They entered a small, elaborate room bordered with doors save for one broad window that opened onto the gardens. The carpet beneath her was so soft even her light bird body sunk into it. Moonlight hazily revealed fine chairs, large vases, flowers… this was where Blake and his brother were raised.

"Now what do we look for?" she asked.

"A knife? That seemed to be the weapon."

"The Duke probably would have stashed it."

"Well, then why are we here?"

"I was just thinking that." She spread her wings and flew to the long bench under the window. "Maybe His Madness saw the Duke from here. The real Duke." But the shadowy grounds did not look familiar.

Behind them, a door opened.

Jacob swore under his breath.

"What are you doing here?" demanded a deep voice.

The Duke. His Madness. He had killed people. Eugen. He would probably kill Jacob for this intrusion. Her heart twisted.

He was a big man, both in height and girth. His body was tall and thick, with a pasty face and a bulging belly covered with a dressing gown. His feet were bare and thick. He was old. That surprised Mimi. His hair, though wavy, was a mess of grey and white streaks, and lines marred his face.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded again. "You were told not to come back."

It was then Mimi realized he was not speaking to Jacob. He was not even looking at Jacob. His Madness stared into the moonlight where nothing else was, fists shaking, eyes unblinking.

"Don't speak to me so!" he shouted. "I rule this city!"

He was sleepwalking.

She and Jacob exchanged glances.

"It's mine!" His voice shook. "He'll take it from me. It's why he's here. He isn't happy with his lot and he wants mine!"

Was he confessing to murdering Eugen?

Jacob nodded toward the doors, and in relief Mimi ran toward them.

"I must stop him!" cried the Duke.

Jacob slammed the door shut. The other guards were not back yet, and Carl was still sound asleep.

"Those must be the worst guards ever," she muttered.

"No one cares for His Madness." Jacob sprinted as fast as he could away from the door, which wasn't very fast. "Did you see the example of his name?"

"Oh, yes."

They did not pause until they reached the kitchen. Jacob collapsed on the floor, cringing. "Sorry. I'm not really built for running. What were we thinking back there?"

"No idea. How stupid are we? He was sleepwalking, right?"

Jacob nodded. "Yes. I've heard the guards say he does. All the time. But still, that was terrifying."

Mimi nodded. She could barely move. "But I think he was talking about killing Eugen."

"Dreaming about it," agree Jacob. "Reliving it. But what was that about not being happy with is lot? According to you, he threw Eugen from place. Probably tried to kill him then!"

"That man really is crazy." She sniffed the air. "Is something burning?"

Jacob pulled out the rolls. They were burnt to a crisp. "Great. All my boredom for nothing."

"You should read a book when you're bored."

"I can't read, and why are you talking about books right now?"

"You're talking about rolls." She stretched her wings. "I don't care. I just want to sleep after all of that."

"What about the Prince?"

She groaned. "Prince Matthias. I nearly forgot. I told him I'd meet him tonight."

"Well, it will soon be two o'clock. Are you just going to forget about him?"

She thought of the Prince's handsome, eager face. "You're right."

"You should take him the burned rolls."

* * *

Mimi was so tired she had to drag herself to meet the Prince. Even then she found it humiliating. What would he think of her?

He himself looked a little worse for the wear. The late nights were impacting him, too. Yet he was there, smiling and waiting, ready with a bottle of wine and two glasses.

"How thoughtful!" she said.

"You deserve something human, my spelled beauty." He frowned. "Does that sound right? It sounded so much better in my head."

She laughed and accepted the glass her offered. "I'll take it. I just like to have someone to talk to." She yawned.

"You're tired."

She nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right. You should be sleeping. I just… I wanted to see you, Mimi. I can't stop thinking about you. Trapped in whatever spell you're under. Here."

"I bet you don't deal with these kinds of things back at your palace."

"Nothing like it."

She took a sip. It was very good.

"It will probably make you drowsier, I'm afraid." He settled onto the floor, and she joined him. It felt so good to be next to him, feeling the warmth of his body. "I went to the church today. In the city. I… I wanted to pay my respects. The Duke didn't want me to find out about the murder and to his credit it has not come up, but… well, I felt as a prince I had to do something."

"That's very sweet of you." She yawned again.

"I'm sorry." He took her hand and squeezed it. "I shouldn't have invited you here tonight. You should be sleeping."

Through her one precious hour as a human? And yet the invitation was so tempting. "I don't want you to think I'm avoiding you, Prince Matthias."

He laughed. "Apparently you do enough of that during the day. I insist. We can meet again another time."

"I promise I will. I'll be more interesting for you."

"You already are." He took the glass from her, set it on the floor, and stared at her.

She felt wonderfully uncomfortable under his gaze. She shouldn't feel that way. She wore a servants' dress, that terrible braid… but he didn't seem to see any of that.

And then he bent down and quickly pressed his lips against hers. The moment was brief, but it was fire.

He stepped back as soon as he was done, blushing red.

She smiled. And yawned.

"Goodnight, Mimi," he said.

"Goodnight," she replied.

Why did she have to be so tired?


	16. In Which Mimi has Tea with Breakfast

_I prefer to use the term "bridge" for this chapter, filler being such an ugly word..._

_So I'm getting mixed feedback on Prince Matthias *laughs evilly* I may have to make an opinion poll._

* * *

Mimi returned to her room, still human, still desperate for a good night's sleep despite being human. Somehow it no longer even mattered, at least not then. She tumbled into a chair, falling asleep in its comfort and slept hard through the remainder of the night. Yet she awoke early, eyes opening at the first rays of sun. There was no sign of the prior day's rain. Awaking early felt good, familiar. She stretched her wings, untangled herself from the dress, and hopped onto the ground.

"You're up early." Jacob stepped from his room, still buttoning the top of his shirt. "And you fell asleep in your dress?"

"Nothing happened last night," she replied. "At all. I was too tired after our fun last night."

"I'm flattered to hear I made some sort of priority. I, personally, now think of last night as a lot of fun."

She laughed. "That was fun, wasn't it? I finally saw how made your duke is."

"I'm going to make breakfast," he said. "Keep your ears or whatever geese have open. I want to know if we were noticed."

"You are so paranoid, Jacob. We were perfect."

"We were, weren't we?" He opened the door for Mimi. "For whatever we did."

"Found confession to a murder!"

"He was sleepwalking."

Breakfast preparation consisted of eggs. Lots and lots of eggs, brought in fresh by a smiling Abe. No one gave Mimi a second glance as she settled into a corner to watch. Perhaps it was the years of cooking for Lavender, but the breakfast process fascinated her. She enjoyed watching Jacob work, even listening to him shout orders at everyone, which seemed to be the case today as Abe took prime position—apparently eggs was something with which he was practicing. Jacob hovered around him, varying between kind instructions and encouragements to more cruel snaps and criticisms, all of which Abe took in stride. He was also Abe's assistant, using the same snapping manner to make everyone else, including Michael, to fetch whatever Abe needed for his egg experiment. The kitchen felt safe, calm, far from Eugen's murder, the Duke's madness, and even twittering thoughts of the Prince. And so she settled back, watching and listening, every so often shaking away thoughts of what she should remember for the next meal she prepared. Whenever that would be.

Servants came, grabbing breakfast, chatting, and leaving. Other servants whisked breakfast off to whom she only assumed was the Duke and the Prince. And finally washing and cleaning began as the rush that was the kitchen died down.

"How did the eggs turn out?" she asked Jacob when no one was listening.

"Better than I expected. The boy has the makings of a fine cook. Which is a lot more than I expected when I first took him on."

"That's sweet you're teaching him."

"Not really. He demanded it, and his father is this big guy who works with the horses and frankly, I'm afraid of him. Besides, I've taken on students before."

"Really?"

"I'm actually a highly requested teacher. Great way to make side money."

"But you live here. Why do you need so much money?" The moment she asked it she realized it was an odd question, but in her father's castle she had never really thought of the need for money. Gold was merely tokens paid to her father for magical favors.

"As you saw last night, my boss is a lunatic. The Duke, not Michael. So as you imagine I do not want to be here forever. So this is merely a way to make money that I might someday use to start my own inn."

"An inn? Like with travelers?" She had heard of such things, romantic and bawdy places of questionable reputation; they fascinated her.

"That's what they tend to be. I could cook for someone other than the Duke and the odd assortment of people you see around."

"You would cook for other odd people. I know. We had travelers all the time at home."

"At least there would be a regular change of faces."

"I'd like that," she mused. "It's how I grow up. I'd love to have people coming through all the time."

"So you support my plan, then?"

"Why not? It beats working here for the rest of your life. Though where did you become such a good cook?"

He was silent for a moment before replying "Lots and lots of training."

"Where?"

"A private home, actually. Smaller than this, very quiet. I spent my adolescence there. The lady of the house had exquisite taste, as you might say, so she had an array of the finest cooks you'll ever hope to see. Odd folk, but excellent cooks. Great place to learn." He picked up a pan that been drying, studied it, then hung it with the other pots. "What about you, Mimi? What are your plans if you ever become defeathered permanently?"

"If? Jacob, I don't like that word. Blake is going to figure this out."

"I thought Blake has been a squirrel for the past nine years or something. I mean, you can only be so long under a spell before you figure you have to adjust. Probably. Besides, that wasn't my question."

She froze. "I never really thought about it. I was slaving away for Lavender. I don't know. I never thought about the future. My father tried to teach me a few spells, but I don't have the talent, so I'm pretty much just left with those few spells. You saw one. Or heard one. Though better recognized as voice-throwing."

"Well, with any luck, you'll remain a goose forever. That's it. You can be in a show. Freak shows are always popular. The amazing Goose Girl who transforms into a human girl and back at obscure hours of the night."

"I'd let you cook me first. Which reminds me, I am currently incapable of preparing myself breakfast."

"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. I suppose it would be weird to feed a bird eggs. Can't you just go catch bugs in the yard like normal geese?" But instead of grabbing old bread, he grabbed a pan and a stool, threw a sliver of butter into it before oatmeal and spices. "You'll like this."

"Better than bugs?"

"Better than bugs."

"Are you still talking to that goose?"

Lucy stood in the doorway of the kitchen, staring at the two of them with real amusement and yet something else. Her eyes were worried.

"I think the entire manor is aware that I am now the lunatic who speaks to the goose," Jacob said, "so yes. I'm also making her breakfast. See?" He nodded at the pan.

She nodded. "Cute. Very cute. Don't worry, I don't think you're crazy."

"I'm beginning to think you're crazy for standing in the doorway."

She swallowed, and the smile vanished. "I… I wanted to apologize for my behavior the other night."

"Apology accepted."

"And I want to know why you brought up the name Eugen?"

Eugen. Mimi's heart suddenly ached for Blake.

Jacob did not speak for a moment, but concentrated on stirring the oatmeal. "It's a long story. Is there a reason you're so curious?"

Lucy sighed and leaned against the table. "I lied to you. I'm sorry again. I probably shouldn't say anything, but if it's just you and the goose… I had heard the name Eugen. I know exactly who Eugen is. Was." Her voice cracked.

Jacob continued to stir. "The heir to the dukedom before His Madness."

"You knew that? How? Did someone in town say…"

"It doesn't matter. I'm on your side. And what? You and your family worked for him? You and him…"

Lucy blushed hard. "That's not funny, Jacob. A gentleman would never make such a suggestion."

Indeed. Mimi wondered if he would bring up the kiss.

But there was no need. A few sniffs later and Lucy spilled everything. "I always thought him handsome. He knew my name. He always spoke so kindly to me. We would sneak into… here... for treats when we were little children. He and his brother. I'm sure it's nothing. But, Jacob, he came here that morning. Here. Just outside. I saw him. I mean, he'd come around before, and we sometimes spoke, but never so close. If you know who he is, then you certainly know the history of this manor. It wasn't safe for him! The Duke did it. I'm sure of it. He kissed me, Jacob. He kissed me, and the next thing I hear he's dead. Poor Abe. He found him." She pounded the table hard. "I came back here for him. This place is supposed to be his. I guess I thought I could help…"

"You might need some of this, too," was all Jacob said as he continued to whisk the oatmeal.

"I can't possibly take livestock food."

Mimi resented that. Perhaps Lucy needed a good bite.

"Tea, then?"

Lucy smiled. "You are so weird."

And that was how Mimi wound up having tea with her breakfast.

* * *

The following few days flew by with no more excitement, but settled into a steady pattern. The few times Mimi saw Lucy brought no more mention of Eugen. As for Blake, she thought she saw him sometimes, when she felt like sneaking out into the yard. He never seemed to see her. It might have been another, ordinary, squirrel, but Mimi did not think so. He would be perched in the top of the trees, staring at the manor. She could not imagine how he felt.

She continued to meet with the Prince. The clandestine meetings were short, but the highlight of her time. He was so smart, so sweet. He would tell her about books he had read, life at the royal palace. And he would kiss her. Oh, how he would kiss her! The kisses were things from stories, only real. And then she would leave, exchanging with him a wink and a laugh.

Yet the days were interesting as well. She no longer slept in, but awoke with Jacob. She became a fixture in the kitchen, a favorite of Abe's, and even Michael talked to her, thankfully less as a pet and more of a companion who would listen to him droan without the bother of reponding. She liked everyone in the kitchen. And when they were gone, she would talk with Jacob. Or play chess. It was becoming their game, and she soon became rather skilled at moving a piece with her bill. She missed Blake, but it did feel good to have another real friend in Jacob. Perhaps she simply liked someone with whom she could talk, but he was fun.

It seemed as if the entire manor was willing to let Eugen's murder slide into the past. Sometimes she and Jacob spoke of sneaking back up again to the Duke's quarters, but what would they for? And, after Lucy's confession and Blake's story still in mind, further searching did not seem right to Mimi. Not until Blake told her what he wanted.

The situation was unfair, that much was clear. Grotesquely unfair. And yet no one did a thing.


	17. In Which Prince Matthias Proposes

_Thanks, melon, for your editing notices! =)_

_All right, I hope this makes up for last time's filler. I actually wanted to get back into some semblance of the actual fairy tale in this chapter, but then Prince Matthias did something I totally did not see coming and everyone kind of responded to that, and I didn't want to post too long a chapter. So, more plot next time! But this one is NOT a filler!_

_By the way, the Prince Matthias poll I mentioned is at the top of my profile._

* * *

"I can't see you tomorrow night." The rock Prince Matthias had flung into the water sunk at its third skip. The water was barely what one would call a pond, just a stretch of murky green water from which the gardeners filled their cans. The poor rock hadn't a chance of getting far.

"You can't? Why not?" Mimi habitually glanced back at the manor. The building was a quick run and convenient for an hour's humanity, but she could not help but worry the Prince would catch her at her most goose-like state one of these nights.

"I'm only here for a few more days, Mimi. The Duke wants to show me a lodge of his at the edge of the dukedom." He smiled, the childish smile that she loved so much. "He has a library there, too. He wants me to see it."

"You haven't even scraped the one here!"

"I know, I know. But my father wants me to impress him, make him more amiable to my family. You wouldn't believe how hard it can be sometimes to control the nobility. The trip is overnight. I'll be back the next day. I promise."

She frowned, the first sign of a sudden wave of emotion. "And you're leaving in a few days anyway? When were you going to tell me this? You're going to leave me here… under a spell!"

"Mimi, sweetheart." He pressed her hands within his. "You knew I was just visiting. I'm not moving here. Never was. And I'm not going to leave you."

"What? Take me with you? I'm under a spell." She tore her hands away. The night was suddenly much cooler. And did that pond stink!

"I know." He blushed, a mix of humiliation and frustration. Amazing how much she had discovered about him over the nights. "I don't know your spell. But maybe… my father's court has a magician. I can talk to him. He's wise. He'd know something. He'd have to."

Finally, another magician. Though merely a magician. Not a sorcerer. Her heart then twisted for her father. Not a sorcerer, just a pet court magician. Still, who knew? "And then?"

"And then I'd come back for you. I'd break the spell and…" The blush deepened.

She realized she was also blushing. "And…?"

The smile was back, awkward and endearing. "And, well, I don't know."

"You don't know? You're telling me you don't know? Prince Matthias, reader of all books, doesn't know?" She laughed.

"Um, Mimi, I wasn't going to do this tonight. To be honest, I don't know when I was going to do this. So I might as well get it over with."

"What?" Stupid word to say.

"Well," he said slowly. "The moon is out. Sort of. It's kind of cloudy. And this watering pond is, well, it's very mossy and it smells. But, well, you're beautiful."

"You think I'm beautiful?" She had not thought such about herself since childhood. "Prince Matthias, I'm wearing an ugly dress, I don't have a brush—"

"I like you fine this way. You'll only be all the prettier with those things. Now please stop talking." He dropped to his knees and took her hand. "Mimi, when I came here, I was just doing a service for my father. And then one night I met you. And you're the reason I drag myself through the day. You're the reason I get up at this absurd hour every night even though you very well know I have trouble sleeping. You're beautiful, you're smart, and I kind of like the idea that you are under a spell. It's romantic. So, even though I will never inherit the kingdom, I know I will have other things to offer you. Will you marry me?"

She would be lying to herself if she thought that she had not, on some deep and dark level, expected this. A hundred stories told by visitors to the crumbling castle in the forest came back to her. Brave princes, beautiful princesses… but she wasn't a princess. But he was a prince… And he was there, at her feet (human feet!), asking for her hand in marriage. She had to say something, beautiful and witty, something that would make him laugh.

"I…" It was all that would come out.

"I love you," he said. "I don't think I've said that yet, but I love you. Don't say it's not an appropriate length of courtship. My parents met on their wedding day."

"I…" And that was when she realized she couldn't say yes. The answer wasn't no, but there was something preventing her from a full-hearted yes. "Prince Matthias, you're the best thing here, but…"

"Are you saying no?" No offense, just a scientific inquiry.

"No. I mean, I'm not saying no."

"But it's not yes?"

"Yes, and I mean yes I'm not saying yes."

To her surprise, he just smiled. "I may have underestimated you, my dear. That's fine. I can't say I'm surprised. But you'll think about it? Tell me you'll think about it. After all, it would only be after I find a way to break your spell. And I will."

"Yes, I will think about it!" Finally, an answer with which she could live.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Take this until you've reached your decision." He pushed a gold band onto her finger. "I want you to wear it. In hopes you'll think of me."

She could not see the ring very well in the dark. She held it to her eyes, seeing what of the minor moonlight would reveal. It was not a simple circle but a molding of a vine. She gasped. "It's beautiful!"

"I found it in a shop in town. You said you liked plants."

He remembered. Maybe she should say yes. "I can't wear it with my spell, though."

"Well, keep it somewhere safe, then."

"I can do that. Thank-you!" Was "thank-you" an appropriate response?

He smiled, climbed to his feet, and kissed her gently on the mouth. She closed her eyes. She did love his kisses. "You should go. I don't know how long we've been out here."

"Mm." She wanted another kiss. "Please walk me."

He gave her the other kiss. "Of course."

The third kiss happened in the hallway, their hallway. "Think of the proposal," he said before they departed. "I won't get the entire kingdom, but I'll get something. Something for you."

She walked back to Jacob's quarters, dizzy, heart pounding, unable to stop twisting the ring on her finger. It was a lovely ring. But what to do with it when she became a goose? She patted the dress and soon found a small pocket. She slipped the ring in there.

She was already transforming as she shut the door behind her.

* * *

The day was odd, at least in Mimi's view. She awoke and stared at the dress, imagining the ring it held it its pocket. Part of her wanted to nudge it out with her bill and gaze it at, but she was too afraid she would lose the ring.

Marry Prince Matthias? That was the question, one that still blew her away every time she thought of she could not properly come up with an answer. She did like him, very much indeed. He was smart and handsome and dear. Her heart thumped at the thought of him. But marry him? Perhaps the time was not right. She spent twenty-three hours of the day as a goose, her father was in the clutches of Lavender, and her friend was supposed to be running the manor. And the Prince wanted her to think of marriage?

Still, she could not say it was not a lovely idea.

She thought of this idea all through the day, which she mainly spent in the kitchen, even when all had eaten and everything had been cleaned and there was nothing to do.

Jacob did not notice her silence for hours, though it was hard to judge when evening came around and he finally knelt down in front of her with a dish of tiny cakes. "Hungry? You've barely eaten all day."

She hadn't, she realized. The cakes were bite-sized and smelled of spices. "I guess I am. Thanks. From what desert are these?" She nibbled it at one. It tasted of spices and brown sugar.

He shrugged. "Oh, I made them just for you. You've been acting rather weird. Weirder than normal. Side-effect of your spell?"

She briefly considered telling him about the Prince's proposal, but imagined him making fun of it--and her. "I guess I'm just tired."

"You should be. You've spent most of the day sitting in a corner. That would fatigue anyone."

"I went outside!"

"For a minute." He shook his head. "Sleep tonight. It's normal. It's healthy. Besides, you can't see your prince because he and his Madness left hours ago."

She sighed. "I know."

"It's a hunting lodge. The Duke will probably try something stupid in pursuit of game and kill them both." He laughed darkly.

"That's not funny, Jacob." But she laughed as well.

"To me, it is. So it's settled. You'll sleep, and then I won't have you moping in my kitchen."

"I don't want to sleep. I'll just think about the Prince."

"What? Would you like you play chess or something? Not that we couldn't have done that earlier if you had said something. I'm not always busy."

"I didn't think of it earlier. And it doesn't have to be chess. Do you have any other games?"

"Cards? Though that would have to wait until you could hold them. "

Mimi laughed again. "So you'll be my entertainment tonight, then?"

"Apparently I no longer have a choice in the matter."

* * *

The game wound up as, of course, chess. Jacob brought up the snacks he had made and they played for hours. The game was addicting and they were equal challengers. And it did provide a way to stop thinking of Prince Matthias and his proposal.

Finally, after taking one of her knights, Jacob said "So you weren't able to talk to the prince about staying here."

She stared at the board, only half-pondering for her next move. "I don't think I even tried. I think I just complained he was leaving."

"Hmm. Well, I hear it's a nice lodge. Let's just hope the Duke doesn't slaughter him."

"That really isn't funny, Jacob." She moved a pawn.

"Why did he go there anyway?"

"Books. He loves reading, he says. Apparently the books here aren't good enough for him tonight."

He also moved a pawn. "Bitter much?"

She shook her head. "Just disappointed. Don't get me wrong, this is fun but it's weird to think I'm pushing around pieces of wood with this bill that is attached to me instead of waiting to see him."

"You're the one who eventually picked chess."

"I know. Check."

He stared at the board. "Is this your new strategy? Distraction?"

"Apparently it works."

He held up his hands. "I say defeat now. It's almost your hour, anyway."

"What? You didn't tell me?" She hopped from the chair in a flurry of feathers. "What do I have? A minute?"

"Maybe."

"I hate you sometimes."

He just laughed and closed his door behind her.

She was horrified to see he was right. The clock was nearly at the hour and he had said nothing, the stupid goblin. But the clock struck, and she felt the now-familiar twisting of her bones and body as she grew and changed. When she was human, she grabbed the dress and pulled it over her.

Boring old dress. She wished she had a mirror. If she could just see it, she could make it fit better. Prince Matthias had promised her dresses. Beautiful ones. Oh well. She set to her hair, still in its braid. She wasn't sure how this human form worked while she was resigned to being a goose, but it seemed the braid was nothing but snarls. Had it looked so awful last night? Did Prince Matthias just have low standards of beauty? So she took out the braid and clawed out her hair. Without the judgment of a mirror, she felt it did not look half-bad. A spell's length of braid hair resulted in some tangled but still nice waves. If only she had a brush.

"Jacob!" she called. "Do you have a brush? Or a mirror?"

He opened the door. "Why would I have either of those? Do I look like a girl?"

She gestured at her hair. "I took out the braid. Now it's a mess."

He stared at her for a long time. "So braid it back up again."

"Still a mess."

"Never mind, then. So now what?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said it that way. I'm not tired. I have one hour as a human and my prince isn't here. I want to do something."

"I already resigned the game."

She paced the room, loving the weight of her hair down her back. "I'm hungry. Your cakes were great, but I'm still hungry."

"So… you want me to cook you something?"

"Actually…" It was a strange urge considering that despite being a goose she was free from Lavender. "I want to cook something."

"You can cook?" he asked derisively.

"I told you. I did it for several years."

"That hardly makes you a cook. Come on. We'll go down to the kitchen and see what you can do."

She decided on soup. Even as Lavender's slave she had always enjoyed making soup. She filled a pot with water, herbs, and vegetables and waited it to boil. That recipe had always made a decent broth.

Jacob leaned against a table, smiling up at her, though with a smile that suggested he expected her to fail miserably. "Not a bad start."

Mimi was not going to let him get to her. "Do you have any peas? I'm great at shelling them."

"Wrong season and I never cared for peas anyway."

She rolled up her sleeves and marched into the pantry. Rice, more herbs, a sack of potatoes, a block of cheese… Well, she no longer had a recipe in mind, but she would make it work.

Eventually Jacob seemed to weary of his condescending watch. "Did you finish those books?"

"Not quite. Though thanks for not throwing them out. There were some good ones in there. I still can't believe you can barely read. My father loves education."

"Ask around. Plenty of people can't read. Oh, I'm not holding it against you, but, well, in my case and in the cases of others, other things… get in the way."

"Like what?" She tossed the potatoes into the pot.

Several moments passed before he responded. "Just things, I guess. My training focused on cooking."

He was hiding something, she suddenly realized. There was something on his mind he was not telling her. She wondered if she should press him, but decided against it. "Is there any butter?"

He retrieved it for her. "How's your soup coming?"

It looked like a strange combination of vegetables and rice. "Very well."

"Did you strain the stock?"

Oops. "It adds more flavor. I'll remove the big things later."

"Uh-huh."

"So we're not cavorting about the manor tonight," she said. "Do you think the Duke will sleepwalk down here?" Odd topic for conversation, but she needed something to say.

But Jacob actually laughed. "Good one, Mimi, since that would be sleepwalking across the countryside."

"I forgot," she said sullenly. She pulled the soup pot of the stove. "How does it smell?"

"Not bad. But how does it taste?"

She pulled out two bowls (amazing how she now knew where everything was kept) and spooned soup into them. "You have to let it cool first."

"Obviously."

She sat down on a chair as the conversation drifted to manor gossip. Being in the kitchen allowed much to be heard. As they talked, her hand found its way to her pocket. There was the ring, shiny and warm. She slipped it onto her finger.

When she trusted the soup to be non-scalding, she had Jacob test the soup. Perhaps it was a show of courage, but secretly wanted to know if it had indeed turned out bad.

He took a bite. "Not bad, Miss Goose. Maybe I should employ you at my inn."

"No. I do not want to cook forever." She tried the soup herself. Better than could be expected from throwing things into a pot. "Well, eat up, it's time to go."

"What's that?"

"I'm only human so long and--"

"No, I mean on your finger."

She looked at the ring. "Oh, this? Um…" No response was coming.

"It's pretty."

"Thank-you. It's from the Prince."

Jacob set his bowl down. "Really? He gave you a ring?"

The proposal. Still no answer. And here was where Jacob would make fun of her. "It's just a ring. A small token. It's not—"

"Did he propose marriage?"

"I don't think that's any of your business." She set down her bowl and headed for the door. "I'm tired now and I'm about to turn back into a goose. I'm going."

"Why would he give you a ring and not propose marriage? It's only logical." He followed her back to his quarters. "What did you say?"

"I don't have to tell you what I said."

"It's a fair question."

"What will you say if I told you I said yes? How I'm a goose with these crazy midnight meetings and how awkward the wedding will be?"

"Did you say yes?"

She dropped into a chair, arms crossed over her chest.

"You did say yes, didn't you? You're a bird-girl who sneaks off in the night for an hour-based tryst and now you're engaged! What a courtship! I'm sorry, but good luck getting guests to come to a wedding that occurs at two o'clock in the morning."

"I didn't say yes! Yet!" She pulled a cushion from the chair and chucked it hard at Jacob's ugly face.

But he slammed the door just in time.


	18. In Which Mimi is Mad at Everyone

Mimi had difficulty getting to sleep that night. Her last few precious moments of humanity were wasted in a fuming desire to pound on Jacob's door and demand he speak sensibly to her. Even as a goose she held herself in anger, wondering just what was his problem, before finally falling asleep.

He was gone by the time she awoke, no doubt off to clean up the soup mess she had left. She hoped it would be near impossible to clean. Then, of course, he would dump it off on one of those poor cooks or maybe Abe to wash. She could see him doing that. He had also left her no breakfast, she noticed plainly enough. No matter. She was not hungry and probably would not have eaten whatever-it-would-have-been anyway.

The bigger of the blue chairs, she discovered, was a perfect fortress. She squeezed herself back into it, feathers bristling over her body. She really hated being a goose. If she were not a goose, she would go find Prince Matthias immediately and tell him yes, she would love to marry him, if doing so would at least get her away from Jacob.

But that would be silly. She focused on a patch of floor which proved to be quite fascinating, at least calming. Why was she so mad? The events of the night were hazy, but she could still feel the antagonism that had sprung up inside of her at his stupid interrogation. Yes, that was why she was so mad. What business of his was it? Prince Matthias had proposed to her and Jacob had nothing to do with it and she did not have to answer him.

Then again, he had only asked a few questions, however rudely. What was so wrong with answering him? She could have told him the Prince has proposed to her, she had not yet made up her mind, and that would have been that. Jacob even then would have gone on with the nighttime wedding ridicule and the rest of it. There would not have been a difference. Why had she not answered him? She had somehow received the attentions of royalty (still how the word made her heart leap!) and she could have bragged. Jacob was at least someone to whom she could have bragged.

But it was not his business. It was hers. And he had no right to get so riled up about it. Stupid Jacob. He was so infuriating.

She stretched out her wings and fluttered about the room. They ached for more space, simply ached. She closed her eyes and sighed. Human. She was Mimi, daughter of Weatherbold. She was human, human, human.

A human who was at the present time trapped in the form of a goose. The window's latch still had not been properly closed, so she flicked it open and made her way outside.

The day was mild, the best term she could give it. Clouds, wispy and weak, stretched over the sky, still unable to keep out the stronger sunrays that did a reasonable job of warming the air. The day held a strange calm, but one that did not bother her. She liked the smell of it, and it did not seem to threaten her. With a sudden laugh she took to the air, wings only clumsy for the first few moments.

Mimi shot up higher, higher than any of her practice flights. The goose body loved it, and even her mind loved the flip of her stomach, the sheer wonder of being so high up. Beneath her the manor and grounds shrunk and the city stretched out before her. Her wings caught an uplift of warm air and for a short while she hung suspended before she again felt the need for any flapping. She flew over the city and gazed at its citizens going about their businesses without any care for anything happening at the manor. Part of her wanted to envy them, but the other part of her just did not care. She was above them, poor grounded creatures, and soon they were behind her, replaced with an open stretch of farmland and field, yellow and green and brown and all the other colors of the land in a dizzying patchwork.

It was incredible. All of it. All those years shut up in a castle had not given her this. She flew faster, loving the joyful ache of her muscles, the wind in her face.

Maybe this curse was not so bad. Did Lavender have any idea of this?

But eventually the question arrived of where should she go? Home to the castle? And just where did she plan to find that dilapidated building buried in a wood? Find Prince Matthias? He would be returning to the manor anyway and she still did not have an answer for him. Somewhere else entirely?

Reality could be an unpleasant thing.

So she returned to the manor and landed gracefully in the garden. She was a very good flyer, she decided. Her calling in life, apparently, if this curse were never broken.

Prince Matthias would find a way. He had promised. Or Blake would find a way. Her two champions. Between them, someone would figure it out. If Matthias would return home and ask that court pet wizard. If Blake would stay put for five minutes. If Jacob would help her instead of being a jerk.

She was getting sick of waiting for one of them to fix this mess.

That was it. There was a library. Surely it would contain maps. Surely the castle would be on one, her father was famous enough. That night, she would convince Matthias to take her to the library. She'd find the way home and face Lavender herself.

The idea was oddly exciting.

Mimi spent the rest of the morning outside, happily going over her plan. There was not much to it, admittedly, but it was her plan just the same. And the beauty of the day seemed to make the future examination of a map all the more wonderful. She missed being outside. Indoors was too stuffy.

She had gone over her imagined defeat of Lavender in her head for the hundredth time when, as if by irony, Blake scampered up to her, one plan too late to help her. Even so, she could not help but be happy to see him. "Blake!"

He bowed, as gallantly as a squirrel could bow. "I'm sorry, Mimi. I shouldn't have kept away so long. It's just…"

Poor, dear Blake. "It's all right. I understand. You lost your brother."

"You should have been first. You're the lady."

"Blake, I'm fine." Except for the whole Jacob incident. "I… I saw something you should know about. It was the Duke. I'm sure of it." She told of the Duke sleepwalking and talking. "He was talking about Eugen. He had to be."

"I'm not surprised." His voice was dark.

"What are you going to do?"

"Kill him." He paused. "If I can that in front of you."

"He deserves it."

"You don't know the half of it, Mimi. If you had been there that day. It's injustice. And I kept thinking Eugen would make everything right. I shouldn't have thought that. I should have come back and helped."

"Even as a squirrel."

"Even as a squirrel. The joke that I am." He gazed up at the manor. "I should just come inside and find him. Bite off his nose."

She laughed, and Blake even smiled. "I want to do something, Mimi. Anything."

Perhaps she had thought poorly of him earlier. He was doing the best he could. "I'm going back home, Blake. I was going to find a map, but… no, I'll find a map anyway, in case you want to stay here. Or you could make one for me. Either way, I'm going back. I'm going to make Lavender change me back and find my father."

He stared hard at her, and she could sense he was impressed. "How will you make her?"

"I haven't thought to that part yet. But I will. Then, I'll make her change you back. And then we'll come back here and take care of the Duke."

"I haven't got her to change me back in all these years."

"You think I can't?"

"I never said that. I just think you need a plan."

"It's in progress." She stared past the manor gates. "I could find my father. He could stop her. She was afraid of him. Whatever she did to him, it's because she was afraid. When I get back to the castle…"

Her voice trailed off as she caught sight of two figures walking through the grounds. Abe and Jacob, Abe holding a big basket of vegetables and chattering, and Jacob… His eyes briefly locked with hers, not surprised, a glare. Then he looked away.

She watched them go, once again furious. Goodness, but could she not let last night go? Though apparently he was still mad. What did he have to be mad about?

"Your friend?" Blake asked.

She was pulled back to the present. "Him? Oh, I suppose. Not at the moment. We fought last night. I'm not even sure what it was about. But he had no reason to get upset with me."

"You're still angry?"

"Yes!" It was humiliating to admit it, but that was the truth. "I spend years slaving away for Lavender, doing whatever she told me to do, never getting to do what I want, hardly getting a moment to think about what I want. Then he comes along and demands something that isn't even his business, like I'm supposed to tell him just because he says so, like I'm one of his underling cooks."

"What did he ask about?"

She glared at Blake.

"I'm kidding."

She sighed and shook her head. "I guess I'm sick of being told what to do."

Blake picked up a blade of grass and tore between his paws. "So there lies the source of this new desire. You're mad at someone."

"He was mad first!" She took a deep breath. "The Prince asked me to marry him."

"What prince?"

She had already said too much.

"For crying out loud, Mimi, what have you been doing here?" He ripped up another piece of grass. "Does this prince know about you? No wonder your friend is mad!"

"Please, Blake, don't be mad at me. I can't stand anyone else being mad at me."

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I understand. If I had your hour, I'd use it."

"To kill the Duke?"

"Among other things. What did you say?"

"I refused to tell Jacob. He got so—"

"No, not to him. What did you say to the Prince?"

Oh. The proposal itself and her answer to it had fallen to the back of her mind. "I told him I couldn't decide yet."

"Personally, I think we should break your spell first."

"That's just it, Blake. He knows about the spell. Some of it, anyway. He's going to find a way to break it."

Blake gave her a genuine smile. "I'm happy for you, Mimi. You've found yourself a winner. So when shall we take off for your castle?"

"I haven't decided yet."

* * *

Mimi did not return inside until sunset. She and Blake would leave in three days—she felt that would be enough time to make up her mind with the Prince. She had eaten from the garden and was thus able to ignore the plate of plain bread Jacob must have grudgingly brought her. That would show him. She didn't need him to bring her food. She flipped open with her bill a book and began to read. When Jacob entered, she ignored him and he did not say a word to her. The fight was stupid, but he had started it. She allowed herself a nap, hoping the upcoming transformation would wake her up in time.

It did. She reached for her dress, kept behind the chairs, and something clattered to the floor. A brush. She wanted to throw it against Jacob's door. What now? Was he making fun of her again? But instead she used it for its purpose, on her hair, ripping through all the little snarls until her hair finally hung as she always hoped it would, long and thick and the color of strawflower. She pulled the ring from her pocket and slid it onto her finger. There was no answer, but at least Prince Matthias would see she was still thinking.

Prince Matthias was waiting for her in the hall with flowers. Roses. "I found them in town," he said, kissing her. "I thought you'd like them."

"They're lovely. How was the trip?" she asked. "The oh-so-wonderful hunting lodge?"

"Interesting, actually. I was surprised. This dukedom is better than I ever imagined."

"So you didn't miss me?"

He blushed. "Of course I missed you!"

"I hoped you would. Look, I still have your ring."

"But do you have an answer for me?" He begged like a child.

"I'm sorry, but I don't. I'm still thinking. Is that all right?" She pressed her nose into the roses. "These are beautiful."

"Like you. What else can I do to make you think of saying yes?"

She shrugged. "Prince Matthias, I don't think it's that simple."

"Walks," he said. "Long walks in the sunset. Dinner. A romantic dinner. The Duke has a wonderful set of cooks, by the way."

He had to bring up Jacob.

"That's what I would do. The sunset obviously wouldn't work if you're under a spell, but I would pay one of the cooks to whip up a delicious midnight meal for just the two of us. I can't imagine you eat well under a spell."

"I really don't want to talk about the cooks right now," she snapped. Then she bit her lip. Too harsh. "I'm sorry."

Prince Matthias frowned and took her hand. "Mimi, what's wrong?"

She looked up at him. He was wonderful. Maybe she should say yes, give into him. "It's nothing."

"I don't think it's nothing."

"I… fought with one of them. Jacob, the ugly dwarf one, if you've seen him about. I was wearing the ring and he saw it and… he's just been vile since."

"You're around the cooks? When you're under your spell?"

She nodded. "I don't know where else to be here. Jacob was helping me, until last night. The whole thing is ridiculous and I'm mad at him. I shouldn't speak of it here. I'm sorry."

"You're right about that."

Mimi stepped back from him. "What do you mean?"

The Prince shook his head, arms up. "I don't know, Mimi! You tell me. I'm in love with you. You know that. And save for today I've been here for a week, all day. But apparently you can't bother to seek out my company during the day over that of a mere cook! I don't care what you look like under your spell. Don't you know that yet? After everything?"

"I told you, I can't talk about the spell!"

"But you can talk to other people about it! I'm here right now, I missed you last night terribly, and all you can do is talk about how mad you are at your cook friend Jacob."

"You're the one who brought up cooking!"

"No, I brought up dinner. That's all I did. I just want you to marry me." He pounded a fist against the wall and held it there as he panted. Then he breathed deeply. "I'm sorry. But I do love you. I just want an answer, whenever you're ready. I'm sorry."

Mimi stared at him. Her heart pounded in her ears. "I told you, I can't give you an answer yet." She turned around.

"Mimi, wait!"

"I'll see you tomorrow night," she called back.

He did not follow her. She was glad for that.

* * *

Mimi awoke early with the sun. Prince Matthias' ring lay on her chair next to her; she had forgotten to remove it after she had marched off. Fights were certainly coming easily to her lately.

Jacob's door opened, and he stepped out. "Oh. You're up." His sole comment.

She was still mad. Not as mad as before, but still mad. Why was she still mad? What should be her response? Thank him for the hairbrush? She just followed him out the door and to the kitchen.

The kitchen was warm and bright with sun. The cooks laughed and chattered aimlessly as they worked, though Jacob did not participate. Jerome and Wilhelm eventually started a dough fight with little Abe, and all that received was a snap from Jacob.

Michael rolled his eyes. "They're just having fun, Jacob."

"I don't care."

A servant came in for the Duke and Prince's breakfast, and other servants wandered in for their own snatches of breakfast. Lucy appeared, all sunny, only to talk quietly with Michael in a corner of the kitchen. Mimi could not hear them and she did not care.

The waiter reappeared in the middle of their conversation. "The Prince wants to see the cook."

Michael and Jacob exchanged glances.

"The one who prepared his breakfast. Who was that?"

"I," said Jacob. He looked again at Michael, who shrugged, and left.

Mimi watched him go, curious. She had mentioned Jacob's name last night. What would the Prince do? Reprimand him for information he shouldn't even know?

A few minutes later, Jacob returned, expression blank.

"What was that about?" Abe asked. "Did you meet the Prince? Is he as wonderful as all the girls say?"

"He liked breakfast."

"Well, you are a fine cook," said Jerome.

"Was that it?" asked Michael.

"He had a request for dinner," Jacob continued. "Something called Suzeraine or something like that, I don't know. Does that sound like something you know, Michael?"

Michael shook his head. "He had better not expect us to make odd royal dishes out here. Just prepare something else."

"Can't. His Madness turned the request into a demand. Now he also wants this thing."

"Suzeraine?" Abe shook his head. "What exactly is it?"

It sounded vaguely familiar to Mimi. Yes, she had eaten it before. Years before, as a child. She thought hard. Why would Prince Matthias want to eat it? She hadn't liked it, though her father had. Some kind of dish stew, fish and wheat and cream…

"Well, what are you going to do?" asked Wilhelm. "I don't know what it is. Did you tell them that?"

Jacob was silent.

"Well?" said Michael.

"I… I wasn't thinking clearly. I said yes, I'd make it for dinner."

A collective groan echoed through the kitchen.

Well, it was nice to see Jacob squirm. "Jacob," she called softly.

He did not look at her.

"Jacob."

He still ignored her.

Finally, she gave a great goosey honk that snared everyone's attention.

She would help him. But she would make beg, make him apologize first. "I think I know what it is."


	19. In Which Cooking Causes Trouble

"The goose, at least," said Michael in response to Mimi's goosey speech, "seems interested in the dining pleasure of our prince."

That little line was enough to send the kitchen staff giggling nervously, though Jacob's laugh was decidedly forced.

"I don't think he needs this Suzaraine dish or whatever it is called," said Lucy suddenly as she stepped into the kitchen's center.

Abe gasped at the pure sacrilege of her statement. "But Lucy, he's the prince. The son of the king. He—"

"He's not even the heir, nowhere near it," she said bitterly. She whirled around to face the kitchen door, black hair streaming out behind her like a cape; she hadn't braided it up like the servants tended to do. "He's just a spoiled piece of royalty who waltzed in here so His Madness could impress the King. Ignore him, Jacob."

Mimi fumed. As if Lucy had ever even met him. She did not know him. Prince Matthias was not spoiled. He was wonderful, he was perfect.

"What's your problem?" asked Wilhelm.

It was at this time Lucy realized her position as the hub of kitchen attention, and her face flushed and her body tensed. "Nothing," she snapped with a furtive look at Michael. "Nothing but the now-ignored fact that a man was murdered here not even a week ago and yet no one seems to care about anything beyond their silly routines and our guest celebrity."

"Lucy," Michael warned.

He was only next to visit her fresh wrath. Immediately her glare was on him, filled with anger Mimi had never seen from her before. "No, Michael! I'm sorry, but I'm sick of waiting around here hoping everything gets better and pretending nothing happened. What are we waiting for, a repeat of the past? You hire a priest to bury him and hope that's the end of that!"

His face darkened. "I did the best anyone could do for his poor soul, may he rest in peace."

"I know, but is there nothing else?" She ripped a roll, left over from breakfast, from its pan and raised it as if to throw it before tearing off a bite and swallowing. Then she marched from the kitchen, eyes red.

The kitchen was then understandably silent. Mimi half-forgot what she had been thinking.

Abe giggled. "Lucy's funny."

Jacob rolled his eyes and Michael smacked the boy in the back of the head. Mimi felt it was somewhat deserved.

"Now where were we?" asked Michael as Abe scowled and rubbed his poor head. "Oh, yes. A dinner recipe no one knows."

"Make something up," seemed to be the general suggestion from several cooks.

"I guess that's what I'll have to do," said Jacob. "If there's any truth to Lucy's tirade he made up the whole thing. I've never heard of it."

Michael gave his first smile since before Lucy. "And there lies the mark of a true cook, lad. I'll help. "

Jacob stole a glance at Mimi. "No, no, that's fine. I'm the idiot who agreed."

"Please, I've the experience and seniority."

"I want to help!" said Abe. "You said I'm getting better."

"I'll do it myself, thank-you very much!" Polite phrases did not bury the tone that was nearly as scary as Lucy's.

Jerome snatched a roll and headed for the door. "Well, then I am out of here. This room is the fury center of the manor today."

"That's about right," Abe said under his breath. He grabbed a pail and headed to the door. "I guess I'll just go for mop water, then. And… mop."

"And I'll do… something with the goose." Jacob gave Mimi a look lasting longer than a glance. "I'll… figure something out."

"You're sure?" asked Michael.

"Trust me." He scooped Mimi up and bolted from the kitchen.

"Well?" he asked in the safety of the hallway. "You know this dish?"

She was still mad at him. "Put me down."

"Gladly." He dumped her unceremoniously to the floor.

"Jerk." She shook her wings in an attempt to calm the mess of her feathers. Why was she granting such vanity to the ugly splotch of grey that was she? "Yes, I know it. At least I think I do. We had it sometimes at home. My father would sometimes serve it to his guests. I thought the name of it was interesting, but I thought it was disgusting."

"So it's real, though? People eat it?"

"Some do." Where had fled her expectations for an apology. "I can't believe this is the first thing you say to me. Questions about food."

He frowned. "I spoke to you this morning."

"Like that even counted. I can't believe you would even say that. Like I don't see you everyday." She stared down the hall; the space was dark, cold, and miserable. Anyone could approach and see them, see her, the stupid goose. "You're making me talk out here."

"No one cares. No one is going to come. Mimi, just tell me how to make this stuff."

"See? You're doing it again! You yell at me the other night and now you're just—"

"I never yelled at you! I would say, Miss Goose, you are the one who had the severe overreaction that night. I just asked a question."

"That was none of your business."

"And I'm not even a good enough friend at this point to hear about it?" His beady eyes bored into her, and she felt the subtlest prick at her heart. He sighed and bowed his head. "Fine. It was absolutely nothing. It was late, we were both tired, and it's not a big deal. I'm sorry about whatever I said."

Mimi said nothing.

"Now can I have the recipe?"

It was probably the best apology she was going to get from him, and much of the fight fury dissipated. "Fine. But I'm still mad at you."

"Fine." He crossed his arms and waited.

She took a deep breath. "I don't actually know how to make it."

"You just made me go through all that so you can—"

"You're a jerk," she said quickly. "At least I'm helping you. You're supposed to be this wonderful cook who knows everything."

Jacob looked furious, but he held it in. "Look, I just want to do my job. Do you know anything about it?"

She closed her eyes and tried to remember. A dig through memories, years before Lavender ruined everything, a stew of disgusting food, of fish and rice and vegetables. Carrots. She had grown them herself. Bits of truffle. Something else, something else. Lavender had never asked for it. How would she have prepared it if Lavender had? "Trout, from the river. Good and clean and fresh."

"Abe can get some at the market."

"Carrots. You slice the carrots very thin, very small. I'd cook the fish with rosemary, I'm sure there was rosemary. I never liked that taste and I remember it. Then you mash it up or whatever you cooks do. Then you mix it with rice. I think there were truffles. The rice should be brown . . ."

"You're good," Jacob said. "Or at least a good liar. Let's go."

"Where?"

"Back to the kitchen. We're going to figure this out."

"Now?"

He was already headed back to the kitchen. "This is your fiancée, if I guessed correctly. So therefore I imagine you'd want to be where you can make sure I don't poison him. Also I don't think you have any idea what you are talking about besides tastes from forever ago. So I guess I'd like to please your prince. Make him happy during his stay. And if you love him I'd imagine you would want the same for him. So let's just throw things together until we have something presentable."

And so the experimenting began. Abe's shopping list quickly grew from mere trout to various vegetables and grains Mimi all but threw out of her head to Jacob's condensing. The poor boy was sent off with a sack of coins and a bewildered visage, but eager to shop all on his own—it would be good for him, Jacob figured.

Jacob went through fish after fish as Mimi racked her brains for just what was in that long-ago food. They had nothing to do with lunch and the rest of the cooks seemed more than happy to distantly watch Jacob with awe as they handled the mid-day meal.

The resulting dishes weren't at all bad. In fact, they began tasty and only improved in subsequent versions. Nothing tasted quite right to Mimi (amazing how a bad taste could remain in her mind) but the appearance of other servants seemed happy to take the rejects off of Jacob's gnarled hands.

The cooking was fun, Mimi quickly realized. From her place in the corner she ruled the kitchen, at least the part Jacob occupied. She was his source for ingredients and suggestions. It was revenge enough: the great cook had to listen to her. Possibilities flew from her mind and ingredients replaced themselves nearly as quickly as they came.

But, finally, around five o'clock, Jacob pulled something from the stove that looked just like that her father's invisible servants had served.

"Trial number I lost count," Jacob announced as he spooned some of it onto a dish for Mimi. "I think this one smells the best."

"I hated the original." She took a burning taste. "Hot. Water. Now"

"What about the dish?" he said as he went for water. The kitchen was empty save for them. "Is this finally the Suzeraine or do we need to make another attempt?"

She took another nibble and paused. Her taste buds must have changed when she went bird. But… "This is it, Jacob. I swear this is it."

His ugly face lit up. "You had better be telling the truth." He stuck a fork into the stew and tried it. "Oh… wow! This is good. You didn't like it before?"

"No. But I like this."

"Probably because I made it." He took another bite then called "Success!"

Apparently the other cooks had been hiding in the hallway. Mimi prayed they hadn't heard the goose conversation. Michael, Jerome, and Wilhelm burst into the kitchen, expressions expectant. "Well?" asked Jerome.

"I've made something wonderful, and I think I'm going to go ahead and assume it's a Suzeraine."

"You can't do that safely," said Michael.

"I figure if it's not, this is good enough he won't care."

"Even though you already said you knew exactly what it was."

Jacob waved the comment away. "I will tell him I prepared it special for him. Emphasis on the word "special". That should please His Madness." He winked at Mimi.

She smiled to herself. At least their fight was over.

They gathered around to taste the dish. Everyone loved it. And Mimi had helped. Was that pride she felt?

"It's the best stuff you've ever made, Jacob," said Wilhelm. "I mean, ever. You'll have to teach us, if you remember it. You just threw all this stuff together?"

"More or less," said Jacob. "I've never… experimented like that before."

"Well, get it onto a dish, then," said Michael. "It's nearly dinner time."

"Already?"

"Yes, and let's hope this works. Impress the Prince. We can't all worry as much as Lucy." Apparently poor Lucy had been the running gag of the day.

Plates were presented, one for the Duke, one for Prince Matthias. Mimi hoped she'd like. If he did, she would tell him that night she had helped.

The dishes were carried out. The kitchen staff waited in silence, Mimi along with them. She had never felt this way about cooking, never for Lavender, not even when it was the nothing more than the feminine skill she was to learn. She had helped make something for her prince.

Time passed.

Finally, a servant appeared and instructed Jacob to go to the dining room.

This was it. She could hardly wait.

A few minutes later he returned.

"Well?" asked Michael.

"They liked it," Jacob said. His face was expressionless.

Mimi's heart twirled. Prince Matthias had liked it.

Applause broke through the kitchen.

Jacob did not join in. He slowly approached Mimi. "Let's go. I'm done for tonight."

Jerome had just pulled out a bottle of wine from seemingly nowhere. "But Jacob, we—"

"Let's go," he repeated.

She stared. Something was wrong. "Jacob."

"Or you can stay. I don't care. But I'm going and good luck getting your dress after I lock the door."

"I'll come."

No one noticed them leave the kitchen.

Jacob said nothing as he stomped through the hall. He didn't bother to carry her or even look at her. It was like during their fight, except he wasn't mad at her. They finally reached his quarters. The moment Mimi stepped in, he slammed the door behind her. The sound actually echoed. Then he quickly crossed the sitting room to the door to his own room. "Goodnight," he said harshly. "I hope you have a fantastic tryst tonight."

She groaned. She thought they had unofficially decided not to go back to the Prince argument. "Jacob, are you still mad about that?"

"No." He had not quite closed his door.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing."

"Is it the Suzeraine? I thought it turned out well."

For a long time he said nothing. His hand clenched the door, claws digging into the wood. "'Well' isn't good enough, apparently."

"You said they liked it."

"The Duke did. At first."

"Prince Matthias…" Her heart, previously so buoyant, collapsed. "He didn't like it? But we worked so hard. I swear that was it. I thought of everything I could… What went wrong? It wasn't the Suzeraine? Was I that off?"

"It was the Suzeraine," he confirmed, still not turning around. "Sort of. "

"Sort of?"

"We missed something. You missed something."

"Well, I've never made it before!" she defended. "What did we miss?"

Slowly, he turned around. He looked sicker and more terrified than Mimi had ever seen or imagined him. "I don't know. Some herb. Just a little bit of flavoring. I can't even recall the name of it."

"An herb? We forgot an herb? Who cares? What difference does that make?"

"Your prince cares, apparently. He's the one who pointed it out. Right there, in front of His Madness."

Yes, Prince Matthias would be so detailed like that. "So? He was just offering you a tip."

"His Madness didn't think so."

Mimi's breath caught in her throat.

"I have to make it again," Jacob continued. "The Duke commanded me to make it again and to make it right. He was furious."

"Furious over food?"

"I think told you how insane he is. According to him, I've insulted him. He said I was his prized cook, and then I would do something so devious as to insult his own guest. Oh, and apparently I lied. I said I knew how to make this thing and then I didn't even make it right. So I am a liar."

"But you did lie about that."

He didn't respond.

"All right," said Mimi. 'This isn't so bad. So your pride has been hurt and this duke is a madman. You'll make it again. We'll get the herb. I'll ask the prince tonight what it is and then we'll get it and—"

"Mimi." He let go of the door. "You heard about the Duke. He's killed people. He killed the family here. He's killed servants. He told me something else. If I don't make this correctly, I'm dead."

She could not speak.

"I'm sorry I said what I said the other night." He took hold of the door again.

"When the Duke said that," she began, "What did the Prince do?"

"Absolutely nothing."

* * *

It was past two o'clock. Mimi stormed through the hallways, enough screams inside of her to wake the entire manor if she so chose. Her hair flew behind her. She had not touched it that night, not braided it, not brushed it. If Prince Matthias loved her, he wouldn't care. If he loved her, he would have an explanation for all of this.

He was waiting for her, as usual. Sitting on the floor, spectacles on, a book in his lap. Somehow it was not so cute.

"Prince Matthias!" she shouted.

He smiled and stood up. "Mimi the Spelled!" he shouted back, as if it were all a great joke.

She did not laugh. "What happened today?"

He blinked and took off his spectacles. "What do you mean?"

"Your dinner. Your stupid dinner."

"Oh." He blushed. "That. I didn't realize you had head about that."

For crying out loud, had she heard about it? That was what he asked? The emptiness of the hallway was huge. Yet she felt she could fill it with her screams. "What did you do?"

"I ordered something. The Duke kept speaking of his marvelous cook. I decided to test Jacob."

"With that God-forsaken dish?"

He shrugged. He did not seem the least bit bothered. "I thought he knew it. He said he did. We always have it at the palace."

"You could have asked for something else!" She wanted to hit him. It was all she could do to stand back, hold her space.

"I wanted Suzeraine."

"You wanted Suzeraine." She swallowed and realized tears were in her eyes. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Another shrug. What was his problem? "Mimi, I'm sorry. I… I had heard stories about the Duke, but I didn't realize he could go so far as to sentence his cook to death!"

"Well, he did. Because of you."

"Mimi, I'm hardly the one who sentenced him to death."

It was too much. Whatever willpower held her to a single spot broke and her feet carried her across the hall to the Prince, where she slapped him across the face as hard as she could. "He's my friend!"

Prince Matthias grimaced, hand to his cheek. She had done well there. "I thought you were mad at him."

"I didn't want him dead." Horror came over her. "You didn't… you didn't do this on purpose for me? This wasn't some sort of revenge?"

"Why would I think like that? Wow, you hit hard."

"Thanks," she replied automatically. "Then why? Why did you request that food? This morning of all times?"

"I was hungry for it."

"Don't lie to me." Tears were coming fast. "You're lying. If you love me, you wouldn't lie. Do you love me?"

He stared down at her, eyes hard. She had never seen him look that way. She took another step back, suddenly frightened.

"Yes," he said. "I do love you. I've told you that. I want you to marry me. I did this for you."

"I don't understand."

"You wouldn't." He picked up the book he had been reading, looked at it, and then dropped it the floor where it lay, pages bent. "You have no idea what it is like to be me. I have no power. None. I'm a good son. I'm smart. You know that. Yet because I'm the youngest I get nothing but a tract of land smaller than this dukedom. That is my inheritance. My brothers are spoken of through neighboring lands while I'm nothing. Then I come here. Find this place. And I find you. You're beautiful, you're smart, you're incredible. And you're under a spell you tell me nothing of. You spend last night speaking of nothing but a mere deformed cook who apparently warrants more of your attention than I do. "

She took another step back. "What? Are you jealous of Jacob? You're actually jealous of him?"

"I'm sorry. It was stupid and I guess I can understand if you want to hate me now."

He did not sound sorry. Mimi repeated his words over and over in her head and could not detect the slightest trace of sorry. "Why would you do that? That doesn't make sense. That's not even a reason."

"You care nothing for me," he said softly. "I thought you did. I thought you'd forgive me for this. I did one stupid thing. I suppose I was jealous. I proposed marriage to you, but you don't care enough to make it the first thing on your mind, to even take time to consider it. So I put your friend to a little test. I was mad. I didn't think it would turn out so badly."

"But you knew he wouldn't know the dish?"

A dry smile flickered over his face. "I suspected. At the most, I knew he wouldn't get it completely right."

"That herb." She brought her hand to her forehead. "One single herb. What is it?"

"The common name is shadow's breath." He paused. "I don't think it even grows around here."

Her mind froze. "What?"

Another smile. "It doesn't grow around here. You can't find it around here."

She couldn't breathe. Her knees shook, and she fell against the wall. "But you told him to make it."

"Like I told you, I didn't think the Duke would actually threaten to kill him. I'm sorry."

He still wasn't sorry. She stared at him, her prince, the one she had always wanted, tall and handsome and wonderful and… he had no care for what he had just done.

"Goodbye," she muttered as she turned.

"Mimi, you can't leave!" he called, voice suddenly panicked.

The ring was on her finger. She had worn it, anticipating, in spite of everything, a sensible explanation. She pulled it off and flung it behind her.


	20. In Which Windows are Broken

_So I shortened the title to simply "Spelled". The other was too long for me. Though if anyone has a better title, tell me!_

_I hope to update more frequently. I'm kind of nearing the "good part". So... no one seems particularly upset by Prince Matthias' little stunt of the last chapter. Yeah, I planned him evil all along (bwahahaha!). Which I can do, because the character of the original fairy tale on whom he is loosely based isn't exactly helpful, either._

_Anywho, thanks for your comments. I do love reviews! And please critique! I like this chapter for its subject matter, but I just don't know how I feel about the style of it. So, please comment if thou wilt!_

_

* * *

  
_

Mimi ran, and ran hard, hardly minding the obscurity of the darkness. Some kindness of fate, or simply the sprawling hallways of the manor, kept her from any tripping. She would not have cared if she had. Her heart was broken. Shattered like she hoped was that ring she had thrown. In stories heartbreak always sounded so wonderful, so tragically romantic. It wasn't. Heartbreak was painful and stupid and the opposite of romantic. Had romance anything to do with it she would not be bawling her eyes out in the middle of the night in some house that did not know she even existed outside the goose.

She finally stopped out of habit outside Jacob's door and sunk to the floor, sobbing. She felt ridiculous and it would serve her right to awaken someone and be caught. And what would that someone think of a strange girl crying in the hall? Oh, she didn't care! If it were Lucy, by any stroke of luck, she would understand. Though Prince Matthias was, most unfortunately, still alive. She would prefer him dead.

How could the Prince act that way? Say such things? He did not even care what he had done! She curled her knees into her chest, ugly servant girl skirt stretched over them. Had he really seen her as beautiful in this dress? Or was she just the first girl who had ever paid him any interest? Ignored by every noble girl in the land, he was ready to settle.

To her surprise the thought drove away some of the heartache.

She took a deep breath, wiped the back of her hand over her eyes, and entered the room. Her little sitting room, all deep blue in the darkness, starlight streaming in. She found a candle and lit it. The flicker of the flame comforted her as she crawled into the chair, so much more comfortable than the hall floor.

Perhaps she was unfair. It was true she had been so preoccupied with her fight with Jacob she hadn't time to think much of the Prince or his proposal. According to every story she heard, she wasn't supposed to think. The prince found the princess, rescued her from whatever disaster had her trapped, and, save for the occasional incident of memory erasing, immediately married her. There never was time to consider a proposal, get jealous, attempt to get someone killed….

Oh, dear. Jacob. The reason she had been so mad at the Prince in the first place. After he had announced the demand of the Duke he had locked himself in his room and had not made a sound the rest of the night, not that she blamed him. She pushed herself from the chair and rapped on his door. "Jacob?"

No response. She tried again. "Jacob, I know you're in there!" Unless he had already made a break for it. That is what she would have done.

Finally movement sounded from behind the door and with a swift rattle of the knob the door was opened. "What?" Jacob demanded.

He looked terrible. His skin was ashen and his body seemed at the verge of trembling. His eyes were tired and lined. The candlelight did not improve his appearance one bit and he was all but some terrible monster of the night. Good thing she knew better.

It was then she realized she had never planned on anything outside getting his attention.

He stared hard at her. "So? I suppose you saw your prince?"

"I said no." The last subject that should be brought up at such a time, but he had asked.

"No?"

"No to his proposal. Actually, I didn't say anything. I just threw the ring."

That almost brought a smile. "At him?"

"I don't know. I wasn't looking. I just threw it."

Jacob leaned tiredly against the doorframe. "Let me get this straight. You took a ring given to you by a handsome royal prince and then threw it who knows where?"

"Well, it was dark."

"Why?"

Wasn't it obvious? "Jacob, it's his fault you're in this mess. He's the one that wanted the stupid dish. He asked for it. He didn't like what we made."

Jacob closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm trying not to think of it like that. I was stupid enough to act like I knew what I was doing. If I had just told them straight out that I had never even heard of the thing in the first place, life would have gone on as normal. Your prince was just showing the exquisite taste of all royalty. It's not his fault."

"It is."

"What makes you so sure?"

"He was mad at you."

"We've barely seen each other! What did I do?"

"Nothing!" Mimi stepped back from the door and sat back in the chair. She was suddenly so tired. "You didn't do a thing, Jacob, and that's why I said no. "

Jacob followed her into the room. "I don't understand a word you're saying."

"It was me. He proposed. Then you and I fought over that and the next night when I went to see him our fight was all I could talk about. He told me tonight he was, well, jealous."

Surprise filled Jacob's face. "Jealous?" He paused. "Of what?"

"I wasn't thinking of his proposal. I don't think he meant anything serious, which is the odd thing. He didn't think the Duke would threaten to kill you over this."

Jacob hopped into the other chair. "And that's supposed to make me feel better?"

She sighed. 'That. The recipe. I found out the missing herb. It's called shadow's breath."

"Never heard of it. I supposed I could ask Michael. He's been cooking longer. If nothing else he has all those years on his side."

"But the Prince says it doesn't grow around here."

He sniffed. "And I suppose the genius is an expert on local herb lore."

"So you think it does grows around here?"

"I never said that. I just think the prince is an idiot."

She laughed. The perfect word to describe him. "You'll make it, then? If we can find the herb, you'll make the Suzeraine again? You'll just do that for someone who wants to kill you?"

Jacob stared into the candlelight. "What else am I going to do?"

"If we don't find it?"

He smiled faintly. "I'll leave. I have already decided that. After the initial panicking and moaning and groaning I thought, to hell with it all. If I succeed, I succeed and I keep my reputation as a great cook. If not, I'm out of here. I'll sneak out of here and find another position elsewhere. The Duke can chop off his own head for all I care."

"What about me?"

"You can come, too, if you want. I don't know what your duke squirrel friend would think of that, but you're welcome to come."

She fingered the fabric of the chair. "And just when I was getting used to this place. No. Blake and I were going to leave anyway in a few days."

Jacob started at that. "And when were you going to tell me?"

"Well, the recipe came up and then this mess. We were going to go back home, find Lavender, make her turn us back."

"You're going to try that? Make her change you back? You think it's any good?"

"Better than sitting around here. Not that I am not grateful to you. It's just that—"

"It's just that with this death sentence hanging over my head this is probably as good as time as any to risk your life. Don't worry; I doubt she kills. Not like His Madness."

"I hope you're right," she said, thinking of her father. "No, I think you are right. She's too selfish to kill. Doesn't care. Good grief, what am I going to do with her?" Taking a deep breath she stood up. "I have a few more minutes of human. Jacob, this is our last night. Let's do something. Something requiring thumbs before I lose them."

He stared at her in bewilderment. "More chess?'

She bit her lip. "I feel mean. I hate the prince. He and the Duke both want you dead. Let's break something."

It was like mentioning sin. "Break something? Here?" But then he began to smile. "How about windows?"

A random thing, but it felt right to her. Something to shatter everything she was feeling. "All right. Let's go. It sounds wonderful to me. Who can we blame?"

"Who cares?" He was already halfway out the door.

They decided to attack a section of windows belonging to a manor section that was purely for useless purposes and therefore had no risk of waking anyone up, including a sleepwalking duke; the terror of actually getting caught set in when they picked up rocks. But still there was a certain satisfaction to pounding pebbles and larger stones against the austere visage of the manor. Starlight glinted against the panes, presenting the delicious challenge of hitting the right set of sparkles rippling over the blackness of the house. Mimi was a terrible shot, her rocks striking nowhere near a window if even hitting the walls. Jacob was better, shattering a grand total of two windows in the first five minutes.

"Impressive," said Mimi with envy.

"And it's only an irritating sense of responsibility holding me back from perfect aim."

"How did you get so good?"

"You were raised girl while I was raised boy," he replied with a wink.

"I just want one before I return to goose," she muttered as she took another swing.

"And just what do you think you are doing?"

Blake had appeared from seemingly nowhere, a tiny grey shadow on the manor lawn.

Mimi's rock flopped to the ground a few feet in front of her. "Blake?"

He watched from the ground, happily amused. "You know I hang around the grounds. I have to say I did not say I expected to see you out here. Without the prince. So again I ask, what are you doing here?" There was a pause. "You're not drunk, are you?"

"Believe it or not, no," said Jacob.

"You can understand me?" Blake bounded forward.

Jacob shrugged and bent to look for another rock. "Apparently it's what I do. Communicate with enchanted creatures."

"Incredible. I've been stuck like this for years and Mimi is the first person with whom I could speak."

"And now we're all here, just talking away to each other." He swung. The stone collided with the wall just inches from a window.

"Don't you find it incredible?"

"No, not really."

"Aren't you afraid you'll break more windows?"

"That's the general idea," said Mimi. "Don't worry, we'll be back inside, completely innocent, by sunrise."

Blake frowned.

Jacob dropped the rock he had just picked up. "Oh. I see. Mimi said this is actually yours. Not only have you had the misfortune of spending years as a squirrel, you've lost everything. My apologies. And they are insincere, no matter how I sound. Bad day. No more broken windows. I'm Jacob, by the way."

"Blake." His squirrel bow was even visible in the darkness. "Thank-you, Jacob, for taking care of Mimi. I haven't exactly been earnest in that regard."

"Oh, Blake, you've done fine!" She fought the sudden urge to pick up the squirrel and, oh, she didn't hug him. He and Jacob both had done more than the Prince had. "Both of you, thank-you."

"I still don't understand the window breaking."

Mimi and Jacob exchanged glances, or what semblance of such they could give in the darkness. The mindset was the same. "We're leaving," she said.

"I know."

"Blake, I want to go now. As soon as we can. It's been an interesting day to say the least. The Prince? Remember him? No more."

"Because," put in Jacob as he picked up a rock, "His moronic dinner request is probably going to cost me my life via the Duke. The fake Duke." The rock flew straight and hard, and the shatter of glass sounded through the night. "Oops. Sorry, Blake. I forgot. That whole death threat thing. It gets to a person."

"I think I understand. Don't worry. So you're leaving, too?"

"If I don't find the secret ingredient that apparently isn't anywhere around here."

The idea was in Mimi's head even as it came from Blake's mouth. "You should come with us, Jacob. To Mimi's home. To Lavender."

"Lavender?"

"Might as well. Then when Mimi and I are again human, and yes, Mimi, I am going to say 'when', we'll come back here. So join us. Since we all now have something against the Duke."

Mimi nodded. Oddly enough she felt a twinge of bitterness toward Blake. She should have offered first. "Please, Jacob?"

He didn't move. He just stared at the manor, probably thinking of throwing another rock. Finally, he nodded. "All right. I don't know what you can do against… this Lavender. But, yes, I'll come. Even if I find the herb, well, too bad for the Prince and His Madness. I'll go with you. Tonight. Or earlier if I can't find the thing."

Blake clapped his paws. "All right. So soon."

"What?" asked Mimi.

"It's nothing."

"Now you even have me curious," said Jacob. He forced himself to drop another rock safely to the ground.

"I wanted to…"

Mimi gasped. The looks she had seen on these very grounds. "Lucy," she whispered.

"It's silly," Blake said softly. "We should just go, when you're ready. We can find what we need today. Then we'll we be back. If all goes well. But it will go well. After all this time I have to do something."

But Mimi wasn't thinking about that. She could feel her body shivering, desperate to return to goose. She didn't even think of that. "I can't believe I didn't notice before. Pretty Lucy."

"Yes," Blake said shortly. "We're done with that, you're transforming as we speak. Now back inside before Jacob's caught."


	21. In Which There is Shadow's Breath

_Yes, this is a long chapter. But I think the latter portion of it is fairly fast-paced. I couldn't find a good place to cut it. Actually, I did cut it. That part will be posted tomorrow._

_Other note: I want to take a moment to explain a contradiction. Before, Prince Matthias said the herb shadow's breath doesn't grow in this duchy. And, well, you'll see it in this chapter, just as the title suggests. In the original fairy tale upon which this story is based, the prince does in fact say the herb doesn't grow in that kingdom. And yet a few paragraphs later... herb! Not very far away! I figured, if it's good enough for William Hauff, it's good enough for me and it serves its purpose of the moving the plot along. So if you don't like it, blame William Hauff._

_Other other note: I had some people confused at the ending of the last chapter in regards to Blake and Lucy. Hopefully it's more clear in this chapter, and I'll be going back to suggest more things earlier in the story._

* * *

Within hours an orange and red morning had come over the manor and it brought no mention of any broken windows anywhere. At least the kitchen staff mentioned nothing.

The entire conversation was fixed on the predicament of Jacob. Despite his hidden information of the prior night, the story of his potential execution had spread throughout the manor and had made him an instant celebrity. Of course the general reaction was a mix of shock, sadness, and fury and it was a miracle any of breakfast was prepared. Jacob, who had not slept all night, was doubly overwhelmed by comments of shouts and curses directed toward his His Madness and the Prince.

Wilhelm and Jerome were furious. They stomped about the kitchen, things burning in their wakes, complaining about the question of why anyone was working in this madhouse.

Abe was upset. The kid actually took seat on a stool in the corner, allowing himself the mild tears of upset boys his age. Mimi felt sorry for him. What fate had decreed the boy work in a place where servants were killed off for mere indiscretions?

She observed everything from her usual corner. She, too, had not slept all night and the only result was a keen energy for the day. Tonight they would be gone, she, Jacob, and Blake. No Jacob death and a sudden stroke of bravery on Blake's part to face Lavender.

Even Jacob seemed to hold the same eagerness. He shrugged off the comments as if he were expecting nothing from dinner failure but a slap on the wrist.

Michael was the most visibly upset. The chubby old gentleman demonstrated more rage than he had even at Eugen's murder. He was a bull in the little kitchen.

"You said nothing!" he shouted repeatedly. "You said nothing to us!"

"Frankly, it wasn't any of your business," Jacob replied coolly in the tone of weather discussion. "The dish was my assignment. I blew it. I wasn't about to make you all suffer for it."

"You're a cook," said Jerome stiffly. "We're all cooks. A team. We deserved to know."

"Yes!" Michael bashed a frying pan into the cutting board. Wood splintered at the board's edge. "Jacob, I've known you for five years ever since you strolled into the kitchen and demanded a job as a cook. You showed us all up and humbled me. Remember?"

"I remember," said Jacob as he rescued a pot from Wilhelm's burning tendancies. "You told me to apply as jester. Jester to His Madness. I would have been dead long ago. I have to training in any sort of amusement or performance. Decapitation would have happened to me by now."

"You're supposed to tell your friends, Jacob, when someone is planning to chop off your head. Not lie about how well the meal went."

"Hey, he said nothing about your heads. I figured you didn't want to be bothered."

Michael knocked the just-rescued pot to the floor near Wilhelm's feet, who jumped away. "I'm insulted."

"Insulted that His Madness didn't threaten your life? I agree; you have superiority to me and therefore should have had first right to death."

Abe gave a low chuckle from his stool.

"Abe, you never brought in eggs," Jacob said. "Go. Now."

Abe nodded tearfully and scampered out the door.

"You're an idiot," Michael said, shaking his head.

He wouldn't say that if he knew the plan, thought Mimi.

"You think this is funny." Wilhelm had set to cleaning up the burnt-and-spilled whatever-it-was. "I don't get you. Has your mind gone? Do you understand what the Duke told you? You do realize he has killed before?"

Michael dropped a knife.

Jacob sighed and set to the rolling up pastries for breakfast—everything else had been destroyed. "I know. In fact, I know about the Duke and the real Duke."

"What?" Jerome dropped a dish.

Michael's face paled. "What do you know of that?"

Jacob thumped a doughy roll into a pool of flour. "What do you know of it? Lucy told me everything."

"Lucy told you what?" Jerome asked as he picked up the shards of glass.

Michael swore under his breath. "This house keeps no secrets anymore. Except yours, Jacob. Well, Lucy had the right to tell you as much as anyone in the know did."

"Should I leave?" asked Wilhelm nervously.

"Oh, who cares? Our finest cook in this kitchen will probably be dead by nightfall. Let the past come forth, not that we can do anything."

"You knew that man. Eugen. The murdered one last week." Jacob dumped the rolls into a pot of boiling oil, the one thing not upset in the kitchen. "You knew him and you said nothing."

"He has a name?" Jerome dropped the freshly scooped-up shards.

"He was supposed to be the Duke, before the Madman out there paraded in. His name was Eugen. And I stayed here in hopes he would eventually return and when he finally does he's killed by His Madness. Hope is dead. Don't know what we're all still doing here."

"Which is why I'm leaving if tonight's meal fails," said Jacob as he pulled out the golden pastries. "Actually, I'm leaving either way."

That brought a small smile to Michael's face. "Good for you. Going to try the inn idea? Your appearance is just quirky enough to draw guests."

"We should all leave," said Wilhelm.

"Leave to where?" Abe reappeared in the doorway, sans eggs.

"Where are the eggs?" asked Jacob, barely glancing at the boy.

"Oops. I forgot." He dashed off again.

"But I will attempt the dish again," said Jacob. The pastries had been set to cool. "And that is where I need your help."

Michael's smile broadened. "You didn't ask last night."

"I had other help," he said, glancing at Mimi. "Not that it amounted to much. I'm missing an herb. A single herb. Unless there's more and the Prince isn't bothering to tell me. But if I can trust him on this subject I'm missing an herb."

"I heard it was the wrong kind of meat!" said Wilhelm.

"I heard you sent it out raw," said Jerome.

"What herb?" asked Michael.

Everyone turned to stare at Jacob.

"Shadow's breath," answered Jacob. "I missed some obscure herb known as shadow's breath. Have you ever heard of it?"

"Shadow's breath," Michael echoed. He scratched his bald head. "Wow. I haven't heard of that one in years. I never really worked with it too much."

"Does it grow around here?'

"Well, we're not that far from the capitol city! Yes, it grows around here, but it's rare. Why would I know of something that doesn't grow around here?"

"Well, where can I get it?"

Michael shrugged and shook his head. "Oh, boy. It had to be this. You might get lucky and find an herb seller in town with it, but it grows wild mostly. Though that might be easiest…"

"Where does it grow?" Jerome demanded before Jacob could even open his mouth.

Jacob shot him a look. "Do something with the pastries. Something useful. Michael, do you or do you not know about the herb?"

Michael's face was red. "I do…"

Mimi fought the urge to bite him.

"But what?"

He took a deep breath. "They said this morning the Duke is not allowing you to leave the manor grounds."

"And how does he expect to enforce that?"

"Apparently all the guards have been threatened to keep you inside."

Mimi's throat closed. But if they had managed to sneak out to throw rocks at windows, how hard could it be getting past guards who probably liked Jacob?

"All over stupid food," muttered Jacob. "Well, for entertainment's sake tell me about the herb. This is kind of my life we're are considering here."

"Don't bring that up," groaned Wilhelm.

"It's purple," mused Michael. "Deep, deep purple. Smallish flowers."

Jerome forced a laugh. "Ah, a bible of useless cooking information."

"The trick of it is its blooming time. The plant blooms at full sunlight. So at noon. But they grow in the shade. Don't ask me the logic. That's just what they told me. It blooms at noon but grows in the shade of chestnut trees. Something with the light and temperature, don't ask me. But it does need to be picked at noon."

"Picked at noon from under chestnut trees," said Jacob. "Sounds easy enough as long as I get there at the precise time, apparently."

"How will you leave the grounds?" asked Wilhelm.

"I can send Abe."

"I could go," Mimi whispered.

"They know Abe is your lackey."

"Yes, but sending him out is hardly me escaping."

"Well," said Michael. "Get out and look for it. Good luck to you."

"Thanks. For everything."

* * *

"The gates are guarded," said Blake. He perched on the windowsill of the sitting room, presenting the possible escape report to Jacob and Mimi. "Every exit I know about has guards posted. There is no way to sneak over."

"Not unless I were a squirrel," muttered Jacob.

"I distracted them last time," said Mimi. "The ones guarding the Duke's room. I could do it again."

"They've been threatened, Mimi. Threatened. If His Madness had told them he'd kill them if they let me through, they are going to be a lot more stalwart in their duties."

"Don't people like you?"

He sighed. "I can't let them get killed over me." He punched the back of a chair. "I sent Abe for the shadow's breath anyway. He'll bring it back, I'll cook up the stupid stuff again, we're all done. I just won't be going with you. That's all. When you come back all human and wondrous and perfect I'll get out of here then."

Blake sighed. "That's it, I guess. Though I was imagining using you as help in our little mission."

"I thought you still had no idea what you were going to do after you got to Mimi's castle."

"True. But we could use someone with opposable thumbs."

"Good to know you considered my usefulness." Jacob gazed at the clock, its pendulum swinging steadily. "It's nearly 2:30. Where is that boy? I told him to come find me here. He should have found the herb hours ago and been back by now."

"What if he didn't find it?" asked Mimi.

Jacob stared at her, mouth agape.

"Oh, wow. I'm sorry I asked that. Of course he found it, Jacob. He'll be back. Very soon. He's probably distracted."

He nodded slowly.

But if Abe didn't find the shadow's breath… no, he found it. The Prince (she could no longer even think of him with a name anymore) did not know what he was talking about. The herb could be found around here. Somewhere in the vicinity of the town was a chestnut treat where at noon bloomed a tiny purple plant known as shadow's breath. And that tiny purple plant would save Jacob. She wanted to reassure him. He had to be reassured. If he couldn't leave… he couldn't possibly hope to fight the guards… but she could not think of a single thing to say to help him.

"So, Blake," she began. Keep her mind busy while waiting for Abe. "Tell me about Lucy."

Jacob's long ears perked at that, though he did not look at them.

Blake squirmed. "It's a weird question for me."

"How is it weird?"

Another set of squirms. "Well, I've been a squirrel for all these years. I shouldn't be thinking of a girl…"

"Sure you can think of a girl," said Jacob.

"I enjoy being thought of," put in Mimi. "The last one who thought of me wound up a disaster, but still, it's nice to be thought of. Tell. We are your friends here, Blake."

"But Eugen kissed her."

The expression on his face held so much disappointment she could not help but laugh. "That's it? Eugen kissed her? Blake, how long have you felt this way?"

He turned his back to them. "I could see it in her face, even as a child. She always admired Eugen."

"That long?" exclaimed Jacob. "You've cared for her that long?"

The squirrel was silent.

Mimi's heart melted. "That's so romantic, Blake. So sweet. I had a week of romance and it ended in disaster. Someone deserves something."

"I'm a squirrel," he said bitterly. "She doesn't think of me. She only thought of Eugen."

"With all due respect, Blake," said Jacob. "Eugen, may he rest in peace, is dead. You are not."

There was a long moment of silence. "I'm a squirrel and she should have been Eugen's."

"If we can make Lavender change us back—" started Mimi.

Blake sighed. "I should have faced her years ago. Instead I spent all these years spying on her and learning about her, but I never did anything. I could have made her change me back, found Eugen, returned here. It could have been different."

"But it's not different," said Jacob. "This is how it is. Take it for what it's worth."

It was then that a knock, tentative and slight, came to the door. Blake dove under a chair.

"Come in," said Jacob.

The door slowly opened and in stepped Abe. A terrified and teary-eye Abe.

Uh-oh. Mimi glanced at Jacob. His face was pale.

"Abe," he said. "Did… did you find the herb?"

Abe nodded and wiped his nose on his sleeve.

Mimi felt sick to her goosey stomach.

"Where is it?"

"In a field just out of town. By that one farmer's pond."

"But did you pick it? Abe, I told you to pick it! That's the reason I sent you out!" He lifted his hand, claws out.

"I did pick it! I found it! Like Michael said! Purple little blossoms. I actually watched them open up. Right under a chestnut tree. I picked about half of the plants there! I had bunches!"

"Then where are these bunches?"

Abe was silent.

"Abe, tell me!"

He mumbled something under his breath.

"Abe, I'm about to tear off your arm and I could probably do it."

"The Prince made me throw them away."

Mimi closed her eyes. The Prince. What was his problem? Did he want the stupid Suzeraine or not?

"Why?"

"He stopped me. He had been looking for me all morning. He told me he would make sure my mother and father were fired if I brought it in."

"Your prince is crazy," whispered Blake from under the chair.

"I know!" replied Mimi.

"I'm sick of this place!" Jacob screamed. He all but pushed Abe out of his way. "Mimi, let's go."

"Who's Mimi?" asked Abe.

"The goose, obviously. You're honestly surprised I've already named her? Really. You're coming, too. You are going to find where you tossed the shadow's breath. And then we can get started on dinner for once and for all."

"But they said you can't leave."

It would have been humorous if Mimi had a proper moment to think about it. She followed Jacob without another thought, joining into the procession of the dwarf, the kitchen boy, the goose, and the squirrel who tagged along at the end. Jacob was desperate and she, in some small way, had caused the entire problem. She had to see how it ended. She had to get the herb.

Two guards, as Blake had said, blocked the gate. They seemed nice enough, but the smell of cowardice was strong.

"I need to get something for dinner," Jacob demanded. "I need to get through."

The guards looked at each other. One was tall, with a sharp yellow beard. The other was a good head shorter with a patch placed disturbingly over the left eye. "We can't let you," said the patchy one. "The Duke said—"

"The Duke told me he wanted something special for dinner and I need to go get an ingredient."

"His Grace the Prince said to not let you through, either."

Mistake, though Mimi bitterly. He had said he hadn't intended the Duke to threaten Jacob. Lie, lie, lie. What was his problem? What went through his head?

"This isn't going to work," muttered Abe.

But Jacob put on his most charming smile, the one she had seen him save for the sellers at the market. "Come on. I know you both hate the Duke. I promise, I am not going to run away."

Another secretive guard look exchange. "No," said the blonde beard. "We don't dare, Jacob. You don't understand. He's insane."

"I need to get through."

"The answer is still no."

Jacob sighed. Mimi could sense his frustration, and it tore into her heart. "Abe, then. Abe will go in my place."

"The Prince said Abe can't go, through either."

"You can't obey the Prince."

"He's higher in authority than Duke Silas," said the eye-patch guard.

Blake groaned.

Another sigh. "All right. So be it. I hope you can sleep well when I'm dead."

"I'm sorry, but it won't be my death."

Mimi decided she hated him.

Jacob turned. Then he bent down… and picked up a rock.

His aim was perfect. Mimi did not watch the rock's path, but the sound of breaking glass was dinning. And while Jacob could not move very fast, he moved quickly enough in the time of the guards' surprise. Abe was already past them, a springy streak of boy, Jacob just after him. And what else could Mimi and Blake do but join them?

"Hey!" screamed the blonde bearded guard. "Get back here!"

It was stupid, Mimi realized. They would just catch them.

"No," said the eye-patch guard. "It's not our fault. They tricked us. They can't punish us for being tricked."

Mimi sincerely doubted that, but at least they were through the gate. Perhaps the guards weren't so bad after all.

The town was a breath of fresh air. Some people greeted Jacob and Abe, but otherwise the surroundings were blissfully normal. And they were free. Free, just like that.

"That was so easy!" said Abe. "Why didn't we just do that in the first place?"

"I think we picked the most cowardly guards," mused Jacob. He was walking quickly, oblivious to his stunted legs, and Mimi could scarcely keep up.

"So now what? Are you just going to go? I mean, you're out, they're not coming after you. Yet. But you don't have your things."

That was right. The money for the inn.

"It's better than losing my head. Though you're right. I should have put more faith in that idiotic move. Should have packed."

"I can bring it all to you later."

"Abe, they probably will send someone after me. I'm not going to wait around here for you to bring me stuff. Now where is this farm? I don't understand lines about farmers and their one farms."

Abe nearly tripped. "You're out. You want to see the herb?"

Jacob shrugged. "It's a cook thing. I'm now curious. Besides, if I bring it back, I'll be fine and forgiven."

"But the Prince. He didn't want me to get it."

"Well, I'm going to get it, I'm going to cook with it, and he'll have to like it."

"So you might come back?" Abe seemed hopeful at that. "Turn by that weird yellow house. Quick. It's embarrassing to have your animals here."

The farm was just a turn out of town, smack on the edge. It was lovely. Mimi had probably seen it on her flight. The afternoon sun was strong, setting the place to a golden color. But Jacob showed no interest. His gaze swung over the farm plot. There wasn't a soul.

"The chestnut tree was way up there," said Abe, pointing into the vague distance. "I was happy to find it. Then I cut through here and… that's when I saw the Prince."

"Where did you throw the herb?"

Abe shifted his pointing finger to a small pond. "I threw it by the edge." He broke into a run. "I bet it's still there. I'm sorry I dropped it."

They moved to the pond. The grass grew thick and tall and the air was heavy with the scent of wet things. Mimi was all but lost in the green weeds and grass which shifted around her with everyone else's movements.

"Abe, I'm not seeing it," Jacob said loudly.

"If we don't find it you can just go back to running away."

"Probably for the best. But still…"

"Jacob! Jacob, servant of Duke Silas!" The unfamiliar voice rang through the air.

They had been followed. Already found. Of course. What else had Mimi expected?

"When I actually make an effort to find the stupid herb," said Jacob, from somewhere in the grass.

"Jacob!" Another voice. The Prince's. "If you are down there, come out now!"

Good. Jacob was probably short enough he could hide in the grass.

"By order of the King."

Mimi's heart twisted. The Prince. Even the sound of his voice was painful. Why was he doing this?

"Found it!" said Abe from somewhere close to Mimi. "A bunch of them got stuck right here… they're muddy, but it's them. Purple flowers. Shadow's breath."

"We know someone's down there!" came the first voice.

"I just came to get the herb for your dish, Your Highness." The grass crunches and shook as Jacob came through. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience of my lord the Duke, but it is for your dining pleasure."

Mimi pushed her way from the mess of grass and weeds. There was Prince Matthias, two of the Duke's guards with him. And there was Jacob, bowing before him.

"I told your assistant just a few hours ago not to bring that herb back," said the Prince. He wore his spectacles. He must have come from reading.

"But the Suzeraine, Your Highness. I was to prepare it for you correctly tonight."

The Prince smiled wanly. "It would be delicious, too. And I understand your predicament, cook. I do. It's not a good one. But I have a predicament, too. And while Duke Silas may want to eat Suzeraine, he won't. Because I no longer care what he wants."

Abe poked his head out into the clear. A bunch of purple herbs were in his hand Mimi wished she could tell him to hide them, not repeat this mess.

"I have no intention of letting the Suzeraine be made tonight," said the Prince. "And, yes, that will mean you will be killed. Which is tragically against royal law. My father does not stand for murder. And I understand this is not the first time Duke Silas has killed. I've been reading the histories. And all about this duchy. It's quite wealthy, I understand. And so, when the Duke kills you for absolutely no reason at all, I will be here as a witness. And when I have the Duke arrested and shipped back to my father for a stripping of a title that apparently doesn't even belong to him, I'll take over the duchy. It's bigger than what I was to inherit anyway and I've already taken care of the other inheritance problem."

He had already taken over the other inheritance problem? What did that mean? He had been so sweet, so at peace over the little piece of the kingdom he would be receiving. How long had he been trying to get the duchy? All that reading had been studying up for what he hoped to snatch. And now that the Duke wanted to kill Jacob… she turned to look at him.

But Jacob did not seem to hear a word the Prince had spoken. He stared back at Abe, who was uncomfortably frozen in the grass, clutching the shadow's breath. No. Jacob's eyes were on the herb. His gaze was not simple curiosity. It held amazement, Sheer amazement. And something else…

"So come now," said the Prince. "The guards will escort you back. Boy, drop those."

Abe's eyes went red as the herbs tumbled to the ground. Without thinking, Mimi snatched them up.

Jacob saw, and backed towards her.

But the guards, apparently too indifferent to care who gave them orders, held muskets.

Jacob should have just fled the town.


	22. In Which Isaac the Guard Wrecks Things

_Only my fastest update ever!_

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* * *

  
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Abe was scolded, assigned a few extra chores by guards who would never see if he cared them out, and sent back to his parents. Jacob was thrown into a tiny barred room in the cellar. When up came the question of who had long ago built a tiny barred room in the cellar the answer was most certainly His Madness the Duke, terrified of his enemies. Prince Matthias had fed the Duke some story of Jacob's attempted escape—never mentioning that the secret herb had in fact been found. And so in that tiny barred room in the cellar Jacob would remain until it came time to chop off his head.

It was absolutely the silliest thing Mimi had ever heard.

She had never felt more invisible. There she was, the "pet" goose to be saved for some special dinner. And now the cook in charge of that was to be executed. No one seemed to notice her. Her presence about the manor had been long ago accepted and no one was going to yet give a second thought on her fate.

Mimi and Blake did not dare move until late at night, after everyone had gone to bed. The cellar was easy enough to get into once Blake figured out how to twist open the bar that held it closed. No one guarded it, amazingly enough. Then again, it did seem odd to have guards before a cellar door, never mind that an attempted escapee was kept inside. But the tiny barred room was all but a cage, perfect cell bars closing off one corner of the cellar with an equally perfect lock. So the little cellar, full of boxes of grains and stored vegetables and the like, was a dungeon.

They found Jacob sitting on the cold stone ground, leaning against the wall, expression unreadable. He did not seem to notice as Mimi and Blake approached, but when they had reach the bars he said "Don't say it,"

"Don't say what?" asked Blake.

"That I'm an idiot," he clarified. "That I had the chance to leave and I didn't take it. Though in my defense the stop to find that herb would have only slowed them down a few minutes. Therefore I think my idiocy was in thinking I could escape."

"Well, you had to try something!" said Blake. He had already scrambled up the bars to investigate the lock. "You couldn't just sit around and wait for them to kill you!"

Jacob sighed and folded his arms tightly over his chest. "Awhile ago Mimi asked why I didn't just leave when I knew the Duke was a lunatic who killed people."

"That did cross my mind," she admitted. But that was not being helpful. "Oh, but there has to be something we can do! We can't just leave you to die here."

"Well, you should. I'm not going to be any use to you dead, so you might as well figure out what you are going to do about Lavender. Go back, make her turn you back into a human, a permanent human. Then Blake can come back here, save the day, marry Lucy. It will be wonderful."

"But you'll be dead."

"I think that is now clear to everyone, Miss Goose."

She wanted to scream, scream a goosey scream that would echo through the dark little cellar. "Jacob, I can't leave you here to be killed."

"Why not? You can't stop them. Why did you two even come back here? Just because I was captured didn't mean you couldn't get out. They didn't even look at a goose and a squirrel."

"How cowardly would that have been?" Blake said. Then he sighed. "It's no use. This lock is going to require an actual key."

"It's your place," Jacob said sullenly. "Don't you have a key?"

"Like anyone in my family would bother with a prison cell."

"See? It's useless."

"I could look for the key."

"Yes, but you're a rodent. Would you be able to turn the key in the lock?"

Jacob was right. It was useless. But she could not just leave. If she left, she would never forgive herself.

"Mimi," he said after a long time. "There is something I probably should have told you before—"

"No," she said quickly, flapping her wings. "No, I don't want any of your death secrets. I have the herb. I grabbed it after Abe dropped it."

His eyes widened and his face lit into a smile. "I can't believe I forgot about that herb. In all the excitement of being arrested, I forgot you had it. Where is it?"

"Outside. I hid it just outside the kitchen."

"No one would have grabbed it," said Blake. "No one would have noticed it. We'll get it, and when they come back for you, you can show it to them. Unless they forget you're down here, of course."

"You have to get it," Jacob said urgently. "Just go get it. Now."

Mimi flew up the stairs. Literally, she flew. Even the quick stretch of her wings was enough to thrill her. She squeezed through the still-open door into the hall, the same one of the kitchen. The room was dark, only lit by the glowing embers of the fire.

"No one here," Blake observed as he appeared behind her. "Good. I wouldn't cook at all if I were them."

Mimi nodded. "But how do we open the door?"

The answer came a minute later when a servant opened it herself. Lucy. Her black hair was pulled back with a handkerchief. She was pretty, Mimi realized. No wonder Blake loved her. She couldn't resist a sly grin at Blake, who was frozen behind the stove.

Before the door could swing closed Mimi was through it, blocking it with her body. It was night now, and the air was chill. Blake scampered over her into the grass just outside the door. In a moment he had the herb, the shadow's breath, a bundle of now-drooping purple flowers . The smell was strong and slightly bitter.

"All this chaos for these," Blake said. "Let's go."

They ran into the hallway and stopped. Lucy was still there, talking and laughing with another servant who looked to be guard. Mimi had to wonder why she would be laughing when Jacob was to be killed. But Lucy seemed to be having a good time and so did the guard. In fact, during a moment of particular hilarity she squeezed herself up against him in a hug. Mimi did not dare to look at Blake.

"I must go now," Lucy said when she finally pulled away. "I really should get to bed. Maybe we could meet up later…"

The poor guard, red-faced, nodded, and stumbled away.

When he was gone, Lucy opened her hand. There lay a key.

"That's Lucy," Blake whispered happily.

Sure enough, Lucy went straight to the door to the cellar. She finally noticed Mimi and smiled. "You're a smart goose. Not going to rat on me, are you?"

Of course not, Mimi thought.

They slipped in behind Lucy and waited at the top of the stairs as Lucy crept through the dark cellar.

"Jacob!" she hissed. "It's me! Lucy!"

"Lucy?" Jacob muttered from his cell. He climbed to his feet and went to the bars. "What are you doing here?"

"Rescuing you. Everyone and I mean everyone has been trying to get the key. Finally, with a little feminine ingenuity, I have succeeded." She slipped him the key through the bars. "Wait a few hours until everyone is asleep. Then go. And go quickly. We'll—"

The cellar door opened again. Blake was so surprised he dropped the herb.

It was the guard Lucy had pick-pocketed. And he no longer seemed so charmed.

"You took something from me, Lucy," he said, chest heaving.

Mimi took a moment to get a good look at him. He was youngish and thin, but very much a guard just the same. A musket hung at his side, and Mimi was sure that was a dagger at his belt.

"I…" began Lucy.

"Go," he said sharply.

Lucy stared hard. "Isaac, you know this is wrong. I can't believe you actually agree with this! It's murder! If you're afraid of getting in trouble I'll take all the blame. But I can't stand back and allow one of my friends to—"

"I don't care," Isaac said flatly. "I take my orders from the Prince now. Now go. I'll turn you in myself later."

Lucy didn't move.

"Bring me the key!" Isaac demanded. His voice shook as he did. He wasn't nearly as brave as he pretended to be.

Lucy, face furious, climbed the stairs until she was face-to-face with Isaac. "I don't have it."

For a moment Mimi was sure Isaac would strike her. But the young guard did not dare. "Get out of here," he said.

Lucy left.

Isaac turned his attention to Jacob. "She gave it to you, didn't she? Well, give it back!"

"Maybe you lost it," Jacob said. "Maybe I don't have it."

"She gave it to you!"

"Maybe she did. Why would I return it to you?"

"I was to hold the key!" he said. "I was to guard you!"

No wonder there had been no guard. Maybe if Isaac hadn't been chasing women.

"Well, you did a pretty poor job of that."

Isaac took a step down the stairs. Mimi dove in front of his legs. With a scream he tumbled forward, hitting his knees on the steps and rolling down a few more.

Jacob was already twisting the key into. By the time Mimi was to the cell he was out. "Where is that herb?"

"Over there somewhere. Everyone keeps dropping it. Why do you care so much about it? Let's go!"

"Mimi, I need that herb! You don't understand."

"You're not going to cook anything right now."

"Mimi!" Jacob hissed.

Through the dim light Mimi could make out Isaac the guard, on his knees and rubbing his head. He was bleeding. Blake was at the door, already slipping through. Mimi flew over the guard to the top of the steps.

But Jacob was not ready to go. He ran to the floor beneath the stairs and knelt, still looking for that herb.

"My leg," Isaac muttered. He climbed to his feet, but one leg gave away. "I'll wring that goose's neck."

Oh, no, he wouldn't. "Jacob!" she screamed. "Let's go!"

Jacob finally stood up, purple herb in his hand, smiling like a maniac. "I got it!"

Isaac, groaning, eyes half-closed, lifted his musket.

But Jacob, for some very odd reason, popped an herb into his mouth.

Isaac aimed.

Mimi screamed. She even heard the honking noise of a goose it made.

Isaac fired. The fall must have been enough to daze him, or perhaps he was naturally a bad shot at a close range, but the blast still hit Jacob's shoulder. He fell back against the wall. Isaac stumbled up the stairs and, before Mimi could do anything, kicked her hard off of the stairs. Very hard.

She struck boxes, half-empty of grain. They collapsed in on her, an avalanche of wood burying her. Her wing bent beneath her, and the cold stone of the floor chilled her. She pushed up against the boxes, but it was no use.

The cellar door creaked as it closed, and the makeshift dungeon was silent.

Mimi didn't know how much time passed. She could breathe, but her wing was crushed beneath her. She repeatedly called for Jacob, but he didn't answer. Of course he didn't answer. She didn't hear Blake. When would he figure out that no one was following him? One was buried under boxes, the other had been… shot.

She couldn't think of that. It was the shoulder, just the shoulder. Jacob couldn't be… she couldn't think about that.

Finally, two o'clock must have arrived. Her body twisted into human form. Her arm still hurt, but at least she could move it. "Jacob!" she called again as she pushed the boxes away from her. As she did, her fingers slipped over a piece of rough tarp. It was big enough to wrap around her, though a part of her was furious for thinking of modesty when her friend had been shot.

The candle from Jacob's cell was a short stub by then, and Mimi could hardly see as she made her way to where Jacob had fallen. All for a stupid herb.

A figure lay on the floor, eyes closed, breathing shallow.

Mimi froze. What…?

The figure, blood still oozing from his shoulder, was a man. Brown hair, slightly curly, hung around a face that could not be over twenty-five. Clothes, somewhat torn, stretched over the unconscious body.

Jacob's clothes. But this was not Jacob.


	23. In Which We Learn to Not Insult Old Hags

It did not quite suffice to say that Mimi was confused. Her mind spun through the tilted plane of disequilibrium as she tried to discover just what was going on. Happening. Happened. But the only true fact was that she was standing in a dark basement lit only by dying stub of candle wearing nothing but a filthy vegetable tarp staring down at someone who had completely replaced her friend.

Where was Blake when she needed him to be useful?

All right, Mimi, she thought. Do something. Anything.

But "anything" was a broad selection. She leaned back against the dank wall, trying desperately not to panic. She was a sorcerer's daughter. Strange things should not bewilder her. Yes. Calm down was what she needed to do, think normally, and find something useful to do.

This man, Jacob, or whoever he was, had been shot right through the shoulder. Weatherbold had kept medical books, some anyway. Had she not read any at some point? And wasn't there some rationality in basic care of a wound?

Cloths and hot water could be found easily. But when she tried the door she found it locked. No doubt Isaac had bolted it. But Blake had been able to push open the bolt. She jerked the doorknob again. Something was stopping it. Curse that Isaac.

With her teeth and hands she store out a decent-sized section of tarp. The cell held some water which she fetched along with the remainder of the candle. Wax nearly spilled onto her hands as she crept through the basement. For some reason she craved to be as silent as possible. Like unnecessary sound would bring everything in the cellar to life. Setting the candle on the step above her, she knelt down at the man's side and pressed the wet tarp against his shoulder.

The wound did not look bad at all. Oh, there was definite sign something had happened to it, but the bleeding had stopped and there was not much in the way of a bullet hole. Odd.

The man grimaced and groaned at the tarp's touch. Well, why shouldn't he? The tarp was scratchy and filthy. But she kept at it, gently scraping away the dried blood and wondering what she would do afterwards.

She wasn't even supposed to be here.

The shoulder was almost clean when the man's eyes flickered open. They were large and gray and extremely confused. Just how she felt. "What happened?" The voice was low, exhausted, and… Jacob's.

Her breath caught in her throat, and she let go of the piece of tarp.

He struggled to sit up, pushing himself up with his arms. He was tall. " Ouch! Mimi? How late is it?"

"Clearly within the two o'clock hour." Goodness. Was the obvious her only response? She wanted to slap herself.

"Yeah, it would be." He stared at her, the dazed bewilderment still on his face. "What are you wearing?"

"A tarp I found." Another dose of the obvious. "But… Jacob?" She couldn't find a proper question beyond his name.

He finally noticed himself, and the dazed bewilderment only increased. He stared in amazement at his hands and arms then felt his face and hair. Yet it was a quick process, ending only in the whispered "It worked."

"What worked?" she demanded. All the confusion finally poured into her voice and it felt wonderful. "Jacob? Is that who you are? What is going on? Who and what are you?"

"The herb. The shadow's breath, whatever it's called. When I saw it, I recognized it. I wasn't sure, but I thought that maybe…"

She wanted to scream. She was tired and confused and she just wanted to scream. "What are you talking about?"

Jacob, if that was who it was, gingerly touched his shoulder. "I remember that freak shooting me. It doesn't look too bad. Maybe when the spell broke—"

She closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "What spell? You were under a spell?"

"I didn't exactly make a point of mentioning it."

She opened her eyes. He was staring at his fingers like he had never seen them before. "It's how you understood me. That's how. No one could understand me but Blake because he was under the same spell. But then you understood me. Of course. Why didn't I think about it before? Why didn't you say something?"

"I didn't know I was supposed to."

Another scream burned in her throat. "I am under a spell! Right now! You didn't say anything! Like the fact you were also under a spell?"

His hands dropped into his lap. "Why? It wasn't like it was a huge problem in my life. I could talk. I had a job. People liked me. I was doing fine. There wasn't any seeable way to break it anytime soon."

"But you should have said something."

"Mimi, you're the one that had the problem. You were a goose. You had been kidnapped. Nowhere near home. And I was supposed to dwell on my own problems?"

She had no reply to that, not one she could voice. She pulled her knees into her chest, feeling more modest. Why was she in a tarp? "What happened? How long were you Dwarf Long-nose?"

"About five years."

"Just before you came here?"

He nodded. "And before that I was a squirrel."

"What? Like Blake? And before that?"

"Human."

The candle's flame flailed on its wick. "Were there any other candles in that cell thing?"

Mention of the cell seemed to confuse him. "Huh? I think there was another one."

"I'll go get it."

"You don't want me to get it?"

"No. I… I really need to think about this. I need to move. And you just got shot." She stood up. "Just… tell me what happened."

Jacob sighed. "Wow. That was a long time ago. Haven't really thought about it in forever. I was twelve at the time. Kids are dumb. This old hag came into town. Not Ralwood, some place else a few miles off. And, being a dumb kid, I insulted her, made fun of her. But then my mother made me carry her groceries home for her."

Mimi faltered over the floor of the cell until her fingers closed on something long and waxy. "Found it."

"You should have taken the other candle."

She tripped her way back and lit the fresh candle. It doubled the light in the cellar. "So she changed you into a squirrel for insulting her?"

"Yes. I personally think she overreacted. She lived in this strange house, full of squirrels and guinea pigs. Other victims of hers."

"That's the house you said you lived in. Where you learned to cook."

"Chores. We were her furry little slaves. Turned out I had talent in the kitchen, so that's where I wound up."

"And you never tried to escape?"

He shrugged. "A few times, I guess. Never worked, and I was too scared to try harder. And so I spent about seven years as a squirrel. The, one day, she cast another spell. Fed me that herb. I left after that. And then I saw the herb again and I thought it would maybe turn me back. And apparently it worked. And here I am." He tried to stand, but slipped. "Ow. I don't know this body. I wonder if they'll still want to kill me."

The door. "We need to leave while it's dark. I don't know where Blake is and the door's locked."

Jacob swore under his breath, but nodded. "We'll try again." With more success he climbed to his feet and up the stairs. He heaved his body against the door. "I think something is blocking it. Help me."

The fourth pounding blow against the door finally proved fruitful. The door blew open and sent something large and heavy skidding—a table. They both fell to the floor, panting.

"Finally," said Blake's voice. He hopped down from the very table that had blocked the door. "That guard pushed the table over. I couldn't move it. I know I shouldn't have left but…" His voice trailed off as he stared at Jacob. "Who are you?"

"It's Jacob," Mimi said as they stood up. "Really. Turns out we aren't the only two under a curse. Everyone is."

"I don't believe it! Lavender?"

"Some old woman. Turns out that stupid herb broke the spell."

"Oh." Blake took a moment to absorb everything.

"So are we going to leave here?" Jacob asked. "I definitely can't stay here. Nobody is going to recognize me."

"We should have left hours ago," Blake said.

"Let's get some stuff first," Mimi suggested. "It's the middle of the night. So we should have time."

"Money." Jacob pushed the table back in front of the door. "I'm not leaving my money this time."

"Yes, yes. We'll get everything we need. Go quick. We'll stay here."

"Hopefully I don't get caught. By the way, I don't understand a single thing that squirrel is saying." He vanished around the corner.

Mimi and Blake exchanged looks. "He doesn't understand me anymore?"

"It was the spell," she said softly. "He only understood us because of his spell."

Somewhere distantly, a clock chimed. One. Two. Three.

"Curse time," Blake muttered.

Her body shrunk, and feathers appeared. The tarp fell to the floor.

Soon after Jacob returned. The new Jacob. Or the old Jacob, whichever it was. A bag was thrown over his shoulder and he wore brown slacks and a dull green shirt. "Stole them from the laundry."

Mimi couldn't say a word to him.


	24. In Which No One Really Talks

A smoky layer of clouds spread itself over the night sky as they left the manor, tearing open here and there to reveal a patch of moon or a solitary star. Mimi took it at a good sign, though the thought did cross her mind that perhaps the darkness symbolized only darkness. But she preferred to be optimistic.

No one said a word. Jacob had, in perfect silence, snatched supplies from the kitchen as well as Mimi's awful servant dress. Somehow it had all managed to fit in his bag with whatever else was in it. He had realized he couldn't understand Mimi or Blake. Of course he had realized it. So why would he bother to speak to them?

But once that silent understanding was established there was no point in Mimi speaking to Blake or him speaking to her. A simple exchange of looks expressed all that needed to be said of just how awkward that would be. Squirrel chattering and goose gabbing. What a thing for Jacob to hear.

And so it was that nobody said a word as they slipped from the building.

The trouble with the dark night was that no one could see a thing. Were guards posted at the gates? Jacob hesitated, then, with sudden power, sprang onto the spiked fence and climbed over it. He landed on the other side with a grin on his face. He could not have done that with his old body. Mimi wondered if he should be doing such things with an injured shoulder.

There seemed to be no response from whatever guards might or might not have been about. Blake hopped between the bars and Mimi squeezed after him.

And that was that. Freedom. Mimi glanced back at the manor, scarcely noticing her companions did the same. What in the world was going to happen tomorrow? With any luck the Duke's temper would cool, but that would not change the fact that Jacob would not be there. With further luck that idiot Isaac would be punished for the disappearance.

They walked. The city was quiet, and it was hard to believe that in a few short hours it would be loud and bustling. Mimi had never seen a city at night, never mind this was the first city she had ever seen. The dipping and rising pattern of buildings blended softly into the darkness. The sound of Jacob's footsteps barely echoed, as if the city itself tore the noise away. The stones of the streets were black and murky, and Mimi found herself imagining walking through nothing. Here and there a forgotten candle flickered in a window, but other than that Jacob's memory of the city was what guided them through.

Eventually the city was behind them and the countryside stretched out everywhere, an inky swamp of land for all Mimi could see. But she liked it. It was wild. It was open. Once more she wanted to just… fly. If she couldn't speak to Jacob, she might as well become all-goose and do what geese do. But when they passed the cottage she was certain that belonged to that goose woman, Elva, the desire itself flew away instead.

The first faint flame had appeared in the east when Jacob finally, nervously, spoke. "Um, are we going the right way?"

Blake sighed in defeat and shook his head.

Jacob took this as a response. "How long have we been wandering in the wrong direction?"

Mimi stared at the flustered Blake, who again shook his head.

Jacob groaned. "I have to say this isn't working very well."

"We are going in the right direction!" Squirrel chatter. That was what Jacob would hear.

Mimi wanted to shout something at Blake, but the idea that someone would hear honking was too much for her. She pressed her wings tightly into her body. Jacob had started the conversation. All of it was his fault.

"I've never been to Mimi's home," Jacob continued, voice quick and irritated. "I don't know. Can't one of you just… point?"

Well, Blake did know the way. Could he not take some responsibility for direction? Of course none of them had counted on communication being an issue.

And, as the sun rose, they stood in a circle and stared at each other, frowning.

Finally, with the night's blackness reduced to grey, Jacob made a few suggestions. "All right, Blake, you will lead. Because you know where we are going. "

Sensible. Why did it take the two of them so long to come up with that concept?

"And for my part, I will ask yes or no questions. Will that work for both of you?"

Mimi and Blake nodded. It would have to be talking enough.

"And your little nods or head-shakes or whatever you do need to actually correspond to yes and no. Because I don't understand animal language and I am not about to attempt reading any physical sarcasm." Jacob swung his bag over his shoulder, wincing as it struck his injury. "Now, once again, are we going the right way?"

Mimi looked at Blake, who decided to be once more be the noble squirrel/duke and nodded and pointed down the dirt road.

"You know, you can talk to each other," Jacob said as he resumed walking. "I really don't mind."

Goose honking and squirrel chatter. Just what anyone needed to hear. Mimi did not want to speak to anyone. She didn't want anyone to speak to her. She just wanted the remainder of the trip to be silent. No stupid talking at all.

Blake did not seem interested in conversation, either.

But even the silence was painful.

The cover of clouds did not fade as true morning revealed itself. The air held a respectable warmth, but there was no sunshine to lift the stifling unease of the day.

Several miles later they stopped. The land consisted of farms, and in the distance the workers could be seen. Jacob sat down under a tree and pulled a wrapped bundle from his bag. "Breakfast. I'm hungry."

So was Mimi, she realized. She was ravenous.

Jacob unwrapped the loaf of bread. It was made from dark flour and was studded with nuts. He broke off three pieces before rewrapping it and returning it to the bag.

"Thank you," Blake said, clearly hoping the sentiment would break through squirrel speak, as he took his small share.

Mimi didn't feel as grateful. There should not have been a difference. Jacob had been getting her food since they had met. She hadn't thought of it much before. But it was only her hunger that made her eat the breadcrumbs. The bread was good though. Who had made it?

Barely was the thought out of her mind when hoof beats echoed from the road. Jacob paled and scrambled to his feet. "Someone's coming."

Obviously. Was he afraid he would be recognized? As who? Dwarf Long-nose?

It was not a horse that came, but a mule, ridden by a small red-haired boy who probably had no business being on the mule.

It was Abe.

"Hello," said Abe, clueless. "I'm from Duke Silas' house. There's been an escape of a prisoner."

Jacob nodded.

"So… we're out looking for him."

Blake laughed. Which probably also came out as squirrel chatter.

"They send young children out to look for dangerous prisoners?" Jacob said. Amazingly enough, his voice did not shake.

"Oh, no. I'm not supposed to be out. Well, my parents said I could go. But no one important told me I could look for the prisoner. Actually, I'm glad he's gone because the Duke was going to kill him. "

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Abe happily replied. "He didn't cook something right. So the Duke had him locked up and just a while ago they found out he wasn't there anymore. It was pretty exciting. I don't think they even assigned people to go look for him yet because it wasn't very long ago. I heard about it and I asked my mother and father if I could go out on the mule and they said I could."

"So… are you looking for the prisoner or not?"

"Kind of. I don't want him dead or anything. His name is Jacob and I was his apprentice. So now I don't get to learn how to cook anymore. But I am looking for him because if I see him I'm going to tell him that His Madness the Duke is really, really angry right now. And so is Prince Matthias. If I see him, I'm going to tell him to keep going until he is not just out of the duchy but the entire kingdom. That's pretty much what everyone at the manor says. Except the Duke and the Prince, of course."

Jacob smiled at that.

"Anyway, if you see this really ugly goblin creature, tell him all of that."

"I'll be sure to."

"Thanks." Abe turned the mule about. As he did, he glanced at the half-eaten piece of bread lying in the grass. "Hey, that looks like the bread I baked yesterday!"

"Lots of people make bread," Jacob said.

But Abe had already hopped off the mule, which seemed to be considering whether to bolt or not. "Can I try just a piece? Someone stole a couple of the loaves I made. It's a special recipe I tried and I didn't think anyone else made it."

"No, it's just for me."

"But I just want a taste. As a cook, I'd like a taste. I haven't even had breakfast yet and I was riding that mule really fast." Before Jacob could do anything, Abe had pulled a tiny piece of bread from the slice and put it in his mouth. "This is my bread! Why do you have my bread?"

"It's not your bread, kid."

Abe then noticed Mimi. She stared back at him, unsure of just what she was supposed to think of this situation. "That looks like the goose Jacob had…" He paused. "I'm… I'm really confused."

"I really think you should go home," Jacob said. His voice was beginning to show panic.

"Your voice…" Abe stared hard at him. "Jacob?"


	25. In Which Abe Refuses to Go Away

Mimi and Blake exchanged looks before looking at Jacob, who stared at Abe. Not the most innocent move, for it was a moment long enough for Abe to secure in his mind whatever he was thinking.

"No," said Jacob, far too late.

But Abe ran up and threw his arms around Jacob's waist. "Jacob! It is you!"

"I'm not… Jacob."

"You are. I'm still very confused."

Mimi wondered if she should bite the kid.

"You look different," Abe continued. "Are you under a spell? Or were you under a spell? Or in disguise? Because usually you're just really ugly and a lot shorter. But I think it's best because you are in a whole lot of trouble." He squeezed tighter.

Jacob pried off the boy's arms. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Abe reattached himself. Mimi had to admit, it was fun to watch.

"Admit who you are! You sound like Jacob, and that goose is right over there! What is the goose, huh?"

"A princess, I'm sure," Jacob said as he took hold of Abe's wrists and forced him away. "Will you shut up?"

"No one is around," Abe said, gesturing at the vacant area. "So is it a spell, then?"

"Will you just go on home?"

"I want to know if it's a spell, because something is very off here. Besides, if you're not Jacob, how do you know where I live?"

"I never said I knew where you lived!"

Abe just grinned.

Jacob sighed. "If you don't go home, I will personally ruin your entire cooking career before it has even begun. And you know I very well can."

"Is it a spell?"

"What do you think?"

"I think it's a spell. So what are you going to do now that everyone is trying to kill you?"

"Not go back, obviously. Now go." Jacob lifted Abe up onto the mule. "Tell the rest of the manor whatever you want."

"So you're admitting you are Jacob?"

"I thought that much was obvious, too."

"Where are you going?" The moment Abe was in the saddle he slipped down again. "You have to tell me where you are going. I can't make up a lie if I don't know what's going on. I might accidentally speak the truth."

Jacob looked back at Mimi, questioning. She figured he could get rid of a little boy on his own, and just what did he expect her to say to him? The look she gave must have been plenty because Jacob whirled around, pointed fiercely in the direction of the manor, and yelled at Abe to leave.

Abe, still smiling, climbed upon the mule. "I want to hear the whole story later."

"If I want to give it and if there is a later."

As soon as Abe was out of sight Jacob turned back to Mimi and Blake. "I thought I would be a little less recognizable. I had no idea that kid was so astute."

"Very astute," Blake muttered.

The appearance of Abe had done nothing but make the morning all the more awkward and confusing.

"I wonder if he'll say anything," Jacob continued as he wrapped up the bread. He was understandably antsy. "What if he does say something? That kid would probably say something. Any half-way intelligent creature would brush him off and most of them would probably ignore him anyway, but it only takes a few idiots to spread a rumor and a few more idiots to believe them." He slid the bread into the bag, disgusted. "Let's go. And talk all you want. I really don't care."

Well, as weird as it was, she might as well release the goosey conversation. "Lead the way," Mimi said to Blake. "Take charge. Be our gallant hero."

That brought a smile from the squirrel. Blake scampered ahead with such enthusiasm Mimi laughed. The idea of what they must have sounded like to Jacob struck her as suddenly hilarious. Which only made her laugh harder. She ran after Blake with her awkward bumbling, wings outstretched. This was good. This was how she was supposed to feel in their daring escape. It was fun. She hadn't quite expected that.

The day passed quickly and eventless, which with Mimi's current mood was rather disappointing. No charging guards from the Duke. No appearance of any fairy, just people who did not pay them more than a glance. Pieces of road from the prior week became familiar.

"There it is," Blake said finally. He stopped in the middle of the path, tail erect. "The forest."

She would not have noticed it if he hadn't said anything. Perhaps the rumors of the forests' hauntings stemmed from the fact that it popped out of nowhere. But there it was: a vast stretch of trees dark against the setting sun.

"You really do live in a forest." The first words from Jacob since morning. "Now what? You expect me to just set foot into this dark forest?"

His voice actually shook. Mimi rolled her eyes.

"I say we find some place to spend the night. Like a farm… and yet it seems we are out in the middle of nowhere. How inconvenient."

Blake laughed.

"It's getting dark." Jacob flung his bag onto the ground. "Forgive me for not being a tree-dwelling squirrel. And what of you, Mimi? Have you ever exactly spent the night outdoors?"

She thought miserably of the goose pen.

"Babies." But Blake hopped into the bag and reappeared with a piece of bread. "Well, we have absolutely no real plan anyway."

Jacob sat down with a sigh. "Sorry. But this has been a really, really weird day. It's been way too quiet and… well, I've never actually seen a forest. I've lived in cities all my life and I'm not quite sure what I'm doing out here. I should have just stayed back and had my head chopped off." He reached into the bag for more of Abe's bread and broke off a few pieces that he tossed toward Mimi. "Here. Sorry I'm not granting you the glory of a dish. I didn't think of bringing one, so deal with it."

Since when had she ever asked for a dish? She glared at him.

But he ignored that and instead lay back and stared up at the darkening sky.

Annoyed, she turned to Blake. "So what was it like when you would go up to the castle before?"

He shrugged. "Just… her. Being her. She never saw me, but I saw you and I figured it was only a matter of time before… you know, I saw her with the seeds that day? She was preparing them. That's why I told you to run."

"How thoughtful of you."

"Thoughtful would have been saying something earlier. Or carrying something into the ground. I think I may be the most useless enchanted squirrel ever. At least Lucy did something."

"Blake, you are not useless. We'll get you back to Lucy."

"Preferably as something other than a squirrel. You should sleep."

"Like any of us slept last night." The sky was nearly black, and the air was chill. "I may be with Jacob on this. I haven't slept outside since that goose woman's."

"It's not that bad. You get used to it. It's amazing what you can get used to."

She fell asleep instantly. She did not even intend to fall asleep, but the jolt of a mule nearly stepping on her made her eyes fly open and realize hours must have passed.

"Abe!" Jacob was yelling. "I am going to kill you! Go home!"

Mimi's eyes sought out the small figure of Abe and the taller one of Jacob. She should have made Jacob make a fire.

"I stayed really far back," Abe said proudly. "Not like you ever turned around. My father knows how to track and anyone can follow footprints when no one ever comes out this way."

"Yeah? And what would he say of you being out here?"

"He's probably going to kill me next time he sees me, but apparently, so will you. This just seemed much more fun. What are you doing out here? Where are you going? You have to be going somewhere."

"I specifically told you…"

Mimi stopped listening as her feathers began to tingle. She swore under her breath. Where had Jacob put his bag? He probably had it with him as it stood around arguing with Abe. How wonderfully awkward. "Blake," she hissed. "My dress!"

A low moan sounded from nearby. "What?"

"Abe is here and I'm about to transform." She was human by the time she had finished speaking.

"Where is your dress?"

"In the bag!" She was so thankful it was dark.

A few moments later, the Jacob-and-Abe argument was interrupted by Abe's declaration of "What is that squirrel doing?"

"It's heavy," said Blake's muffled voice.

Jacob muttered something. "Give me that. Mimi, where are you?"

"Who's Mimi?" Abe asked.

They were in a dark field outside a forest. What did he want, a landmark? "Over here!" Something landed near her and after a few moments of fumbling she found the dress. She pulled it over her head.

"Who's Mimi?" Abe repeated.

Well, why not have a little more weirdness? "Hi. I'm Mimi," she said as she approached.

"Where did you come from?"

"I'm the goose."

"The pet goose?"

"I wasn't exactly intending on revealing you," Jacob muttered.

"Then you shouldn't have given me the dress."

"You're just giving him a reason to stay around."

"I'm not going," said Abe. "It's too dark."

"Morning, then. Go sleep somewhere."

"You really think he'll go back in the morning?" Mimi asked as Abe crawled off into the darkness.

Jacob gave a short laugh. "Hardly. I just wanted him to stop talking for a few hours. Is that too much to ask?"

"We can't take him back. It took us all day to get here."

Jacob sat down, and Mimi joined him. "He's a good kid. Just annoying. Part of the reason he wound up as my student. His parents got him a job in the kitchen, and he insisted on learning how to cook. Wouldn't learn from Michael, so he wound up as mine."

"How patient of you."

"I guess I've learned to put up with a lot. I mean, he is a good kid. I'd miss him if we could get rid of him."

"Do you think you'll ever go back?"

He did not answer for a while. "Well…I'd kind of like to help Blake. Maybe get a little revenge for myself. Imagine that. Our own little charge on the manor."

"I think that would be fun. Like a story."

He laughed. "You and your stories."

"I guess life was a little boring before all of this."

"I think I'd rather go back to the boring sometimes."

Mimi stared out into the night. There were no stars, just the vague shadows of the grass and the black blob that was the forest. Her forest. "How did you put up with it all those years?"

"I don't know. It wasn't like I had much choice in the matter. And it wasn't all bad. I learned things. I'm famous for my cooking because of what I learned at that fairy's place. I had friends there."

"And when you left?"

"What was I supposed to do? I couldn't go home like I was—I'm sure my parents thought I was dead or something. So I dealt with my situation the best I could. That's what you have to do. I just… went and made a new life. It was pretty good, actually, all things considered."

"Until the whole head-chopping thing."

Another laugh. "Yeah, that was a dark spot."

"So… you liked it, then? Being under that spell?"

"Well, it's not what I would have preferred. But I had a job, I had respect, I had friends. It was fine until…"

"Until the Duke wanted to kill you."

"Something before that."

"What?"

He didn't speak for a long time. "Mimi, I know you have one hour, but I really need to get to sleep. Goodnight."


	26. In Which We Return to the Castle

Jacob was infuriating, Mimi decided. She had asked a simple question in a simple conversation and he could not even give her the benefit of an answer. After leaving him she wasted a few minutes fretting before grudgingly admitting it wasn't her business and the past few days had left everyone in less than the best of moods.

Still, she was sick of secrets. Was this even a secret? He had almost said it.

She wanted so much to hear what he had to say. What he had not said was infuriating.

The morning sun woke her, as did the closely following sound of Abe declaring they needed to be on the move. She yawned and stretched her wings. So this was the day. She was going home.

Blake was already awake, nibbling on some nut he had found. She was vaguely reminded of her desire to eat bugs. "Good morning. Sleep well?"

"Besides last night's little interruption?" She nodded toward Abe, who was preparing his mule.

"At least it's something. He'll break the silence, I think."

Jacob, it seemed, had been up for awhile. He stood facing the woods, pack already on his back. He was so tall in his real form. He seemed even stronger. "Ready?" he called without looking at anyone.

Abe looked expectantly at Mimi and Blake before responding "I still don't know where we are going."

"You could go home. Otherwise, we're going into the woods. Blake, lead the way."

Blake ran ahead, and Mimi followed, wondering in humiliation why she could not even figure out the way to her own home. Jacob swallowed, and started into the trees, Abe close behind on the mule. No, Abe was not going home.

The trees truly were a stark contrast to the surrounding fields. Mimi at once felt at home and trapped. Though the path so many had taken over the years was clear, the overhanging branches still crept down like the roof of a cage. It was not a place meant for geese. But it was her forest and everything was familiar from the smell to the plants to even the sounds of the animals. Blake too was comfortable, and Jacob was left to comment on why no one had yet chopped the place down.

"Because it's probably cursed," was Abe's confident answer. "Why are we in cursed woods? Everyone knows this place is cursed."

"Because we have to break a spell."

"The goose's spell?"

"And the squirrel's."

"I still have to hear this story."

So even though it was not his business Jacob went about explaining how he had one day found a talking goose who had been cursed by her evil fairy stepmother.

It was actually a pretty good story. Mimi had not expected that.

That story of course led to Jacob and Blake's stories and within an hour Abe knew everything. He took it all in without question, just amazement and the distinct air that his own life was comparatively boring.

"So what are you going to do?" Abe asked.

Jacob shrugged. "Right now, I think the best strategy is to pretend I'm just some traveler through the woods and pray Lavender doesn't recognize Mimi. Blake, you're just going to have to be an ordinary squirrel for this. Sorry. Hide in the woods and run up and down trees or something. I'll talk to her as much as I can and look for your father."

"We're almost there," Blake whispered to Mimi.

Abe stared at Blake, mouth open. "Can you understand them, Jacob? What did he just say?"

Jacob sighed. "I can't understand a thing. I hear what you hear."

"That's not that fair."

"No, it's not. I kind of liked talking to enchanted animals."

And yet he had refused to talk to her last night.

Blake was right. Though Mimi had only been out this far from the castle once, she knew it was near. Just around the path the old spires would rise up through the trees… It suddenly hurt to breathe. They were so close.

"Well, when you were a squirrel you should have picked up the language or something and… wow, is that it?"

Sure enough, a turn around the corner and there it was, old stone castle sitting in the middle of the trees. Mimi could see the gate, her bedroom window, the tip of her favorite reading tree. She froze.

"Mimi, are you all right?" asked Blake.

"Lavender's there." Her heart pounded. "What if she killed my father? She did something to him and—"

"Stop."

"But Blake—"

"Stop. We don't know anything yet. Do you really think your father is dead?"

"He could be!" She shook her head. No time to think the worst. "No… no, I don't."

"Good." He smiled at her. "Just keep thinking that."

The castle grounds were silent as they entered. Abe slipped down from his mule and tied the creature to a tree, ready to be shown as evidence that they were just a couple of travelers. Blake climbed up a tree to wait. The grounds had not changed much in the past week. Had Mimi expected them to? Somehow it seemed so long ago.

Jacob reached the door, took a deep breath, and knocked.

"They're used to be invisible servants, you know," Mimi explained to Blake. "Just spells of my father's. I don't know what happened to them. They would have answered before."

No invisible servants came to open the door. No sign her father was back in charge. After what seemed like ages, the door opened. Lavender stood in the doorway, dark hair tumbling down her body, smile on her face. "Hello. I was not expecting visitors. Are you lost?"

Mimi stared at her from her place behind Jacob. It was impossible.

"We had heard of the great sorcerer Weatherbold," Jacob said. "We wanted to meet him. Is there where he lives?"

Lavender's perfect smile flickered. "He is, but I'm afraid he has retired years ago. I'm surprised word of him is still out there, but I suppose that's only a tribute to his power."

"We're not asking for any favors, miss. But we've traveled far and we would appreciate saying hello."

"And we're really, really tired," put in Abe.

Her smile broadened. "I imagine you are, my boy. Come inside, then, and I'll see what I can do."

Goodness, Mimi had not even been noticed. But how could she go into the castle because why would anyone in his right mind be traveling with a goose? She was too startled over Lavender to think clearly enough to sneak around inside. She quickly dove into bushes near the door.

"Who are you to Weatherbold?" Jacob asked as he and Abe followed Lavender inside. "If I may ask? His wife?"

She laughed. "Do I look old enough to be his wife? I'm his daughter!" The door closed.

Mimi huddled in the bushes, shaking. His daughter. Lavender dared to say she was Weatherbold's daughter. That stupid, sneaking fairy! Such a silly lie to bring up. That admittedly beautiful woman who had waltzed in only a few years before with all the grace and elegance of a middle-aged woman.

That woman now did not look a day over twenty.


	27. In Which Lavender is a Flirt

When it seemed to Mimi that no one else would be drifting out ofthe door she stepped from the bushes, her mind whirling. Leaves stirred as a squirrel hopped from a tree to the ground. Blake, of course, eyes wide.

"Did you see her?" he began. "That was her at the door, right?"

Mimi nodded. "Lavender came to the door, invited Jacob and Abe in. But that couldn't possibly be Lavender!"

"Than who was it?"

"She looks scarcely older than me!"

"But it was Lavender? It was definitely Lavender? It looks just like her."

Mimi sighed. "How did she look when she put the spell on you?"

"... Older."

"That was before I met her. Blake, why didn't you say something before?"

"About what?"

"About her aging. No one ages back and forth like that." Mimi wanted to scream. "Did that not strike you as unusual?"

He picked at a blade of grass, clearly embarrassed. "I guess I never paid much attention until now."

"And she said she was his daughter. His daughter, Blake! Can you believe that? I'm his daughter! She's his evil wife and now she's claiming to be his daughter. It's sick. Who says stuff like that?"

"Jacob will figure that out. Isn't that the reason he's in there?"

"Yes. He and Abe are inside with that… that thing." She stared the castle. "Blake, this is my home. My home and she ruined it! She is crazy. That is all there is it to it. I mean, who marries someone and then goes around saying she is the man's daughter? It isn't natural."

"You're finally angry about this." Blake smiled.

"I wasn't angry before?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. A week ago you did whatever she asked."

"I was under a spell."

"Which you escaped, albeit into another spell. Now you're here, she hasn't yet caught you, and you're mad enough to do something about it."

"Do what? We're the ones outside." She stared up at the castle. "Could we go in through an open window?"

"Mimi, this is your castle. You can do whatever you like."

If she were human she would blush. "There's one up there. My room, actually. She left it open."

"No tree branches near it."

"Climb on my back."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. It'll be fun for you. You haven't flown yet."

She spread out her wings as Blake climbed shakily onto her back, claws pinching into her skin. She grimaced.

"Sorry, Mimi."

"Not your fault you have claws. Just hold on." Of course his claws dug in deeper, but she spread her wings and flew to the window. Blake screamed.

"Oh, please, that was only a few stories." She laughed as Blake stumbled onto the windowsill, then took in the sight of her room.

Lavender had not touched it. Apparently her more youthful appearance had no need of Mimi's clothes. The door hung slightly open and thoroughly ignored. Everything was there. Her bed. Oh, the thought of sleeping in an actual bed! She could not resist hopping onto the bed and burying her bill into the pillow.

Blake peeked through the door. "I don't see anyone."

"Do you think she really took Jacob and Abe to see my father?"

"Where would your father be? Come on." His tail disappeared through the door, and Mimi followed.

She had no idea where her father would be.

The hallways were silent. Granted, for years they had been silent, but now it was just eerie. Did Lavender live all alone? Did she speak to Weatherbold? Was he even alive? She had ruined everything. There was supposed to be some noise. People visiting her father, looking for spells. Not silence.

At last they approached the kitchen, that tiny little room of Mimi's irritation. Voices came from it, Lavender laughing.

"Things have been dull her since Father retired," she said. "I'm sure you came here thinking of the hubbub of his career. Sadly he's just too tired anymore. This castle used to have people coming and going all the time."

"He's very famous for his magic," Jacob replied. "I can't wait to meet him."

Another laugh. Her young little laugh was annoying. "You will, you will. Right now he's resting. Here, have something to drink. You must be parched."

Mimi moved to find a hopefully hidden place to view the kitchen. Jacob and Abe leaned against the counter, awkwardly holding the cups Lavender put into their hands.

"It's my own recipe," she said sweetly. "Drink."

Abe looked ready to drop his cup, and Jacob just stared.

"Do you think it's poisoned or enchanted? Why would I do something like that? May I remind you that my father is retired? I promise, you'll find this not only perfectly safe to drink but also delicious."

Jacob glanced at Abe then took a gulp of the drink.

Mimi winced.

He brought the cup down, looking no worse for the wear. "That is quite good. What do you put in there?"

"Oh, it's just an herb tea, bits of this and that from the garden. Again, don't worry, you won't be turned into something. Abe, dear, go ahead and drink."

Abe did so, nervously.

"How long do you brew it?" Jacob asked.

For crying out loud, he was not going to start a cooking discussion with her!

"Five minutes after boiling," Lavender replied. She leaned toward him and touched his sleeve. "Didn't think anyone would be interested in how it would be done."

"I love cooking."

"Any good at it? I know a few things and I have a few specialties, but that's about it. I do like to think I have good taste." Another laugh. "Perhaps I should beg you to prepare something for me." She smiled.

Mimi felt a sudden stab of fury.

But Jacob slid away. "Um, maybe I could do that." He studied her face, half-frowning. "I'm sorry, Miss Lavender, but you look so familiar to me."

"I've lived here all my life. Maybe I just have one of those faces."

"Any relatives?"

She paused, finger on her chin. "I have a great-grandmother who lives in a city a few days' travel away."

"Is she in the same line of business?"

"Magic? Oh, Jacob, you ask silly questions. I have no idea what she does." She grabbed his hand. "Come, let's go see if Father is awake. "

Mimi and Blake slipped to a shadowy corner as Lavender led out Abe and Jacob. Abe no longer seemed quite so amused at the castle experience, and Jacob looked horrified by the woman grabbing his hand. At last, at the end of the hall, she released him. "Just turn left at that corner. I forgot something. I'll catch up with."

"You just want us to wander your castle alone?" Abe asked.

"Don't worry, I trust you."

Blake and Mimi darted into the kitchen. Mimi's heart pounded.

"I know you're there, Mimi." Lavender stopped in the middle of the hall, all playfulness gone from her voice. "Don't think I didn't see you at the door. And with a squirrel. Goodness, who could that be? There have been so many squirrels over the years. One of my favorite transformations. With whom have you met up?"

Mimi did not answer.

"I take it you're here with these more human friends. I still can't believe you came back. Silly girl, you brought them to me? How sneaky of you. Do they have any idea what I can do? I doubt it. Though I'd like to know how they discovered what you were. That fascinates me. I'll just ask a few questions. No poisoning, no spells, actually. I don't need anything from them. Now, anyway. I like the way I look right now, and that was all thanks to you. The older one, though, is rather handsome, I think. More handsome than your father, at least. Is that why you're back, Mimi? Did you come to look for him?"

Mimi couldn't hold back. "Where he is?"

"Oh, he's here. And he's fine. More or less. Maybe later, if you're a good girl, I'll let you see him."

She lifted a hand, and the kitchen door swung shut and locked.


	28. In Which There is a PitchBlack Dungeon

"Did she just lock us in the kitchen?" Blake asked. "Who locks their prisoners in the kitchen?" He sprang up onto the counter for a better look. "There are no windows here."

"I know, I know." Mimi slammed her head against the door. "The room was apparently never built with windows. Can you pick the lock?"

"I can try. Do you think she used magic on the lock?"

Mimi slammed her head against the door again. "Probably. Just try anyway. Please."

"Don't do that to your head." He made a flying leap toward the doorknob, landing well enough. But his paws skidded over the metal and he dropped to the floor. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

"Don't slam your head against the door again."

She stepped back. She wanted to. Banging her head against something seemed to be the best idea she had right now.

Blake sighed. "We'll have to trust Jacob on this."

"Jacob has no idea we're in here."

"We're in the kitchen and it's Jacob. I daresay he'll make his way back here eventually."

True, it was Jacob and Jacob was nothing if not a cook. "And Lavender did say she'd like him to cook her something." The words came out with more bitterness than she expected, enough to surprise her. "I'm sure he would be happy to come up here and cook for her."

Blake stared at her.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She shook her feathers. She wanted out. Her time of being stuck in a kitchen was supposed to be over. "I don't think he has any idea of what he is getting into with her."

"Why wouldn't he? He has heard what she has done to the two of us."

"It doesn't matter. You don't know her like I know her. She'll dig her claws in, do whatever she wants. I hate her."

"And you have every reason in the world to hate her." Blake climbed back onto the counter. "Where are the knives kept?"

"What do you need a knife for?"

"Do you have any idea how long it has been since I've held a weapon?"

Mimi would never understand how men's brains worked. She banged her head once more against the door. She really was getting a headache from doing that. Nobody was going to come until Lavender came herself. They had to get out.

She curled up on the floor, wings tucked in, and tried to remember a useful spell. There were so few she knew, and her brain was rushing out of control so she could hardly think. She was the daughter of a sorcerer, these sort of things should come naturally to her, but no. Magic had all but spoiled her growing up, her father's spells, those who came to see him, the invisible servants. The ones she had replaced in cooking and cleaning and every other manner of household work. Whatever had happened to them? To Mimi it seemed they had faded away, but it didn't seem like Lavender to completely destroy a spell, if the invisible servants could even be destroyed.

They had always been there, useful charms she had taken for granted. She imagined her father must have somehow summoned them to control them and give them orders. And they were hardly dangerous, so whatever summoned them couldn't be too secret.

She closed her eyes and thought of them. Tiny bits of magic in the air with no purpose but to serve her. How incredible selfish and lazy it had been of her and Weatherbold to keep them. But they were so handy, so useful.

"Mimi?" Blake asked.

"Shh. I'm concentrating." Parts of her childhood, practical spells making sure she was always comfortable, unconcerned about what anyone thought she needed to do. Goodness, how lazy she had been. To think she had always taken them for granted. She continued to focus as the minutes rushed by, trying desperately to keep her mind from wandering…

And suddenly there it was, a familiar presence of nothing in particular right above her. Small, weak, but still ready to serve. Mimi laughed. "Blake! I've got it. We are leaving. Open the door."

"I already tried."

"No, not you." And already the door was being jumped, the lock being prodded. Then, with ease, the door opened.

"Thank-you," Mimi said. "Follow us."

"What did you just do?" Blake demanded as he ran out the door. "Who are you talking to?"

"An invisible servant. I thought they all disappeared, but apparently they were just lying dormant. I managed to summon one."

"Why didn't you do that years ago?"

"Clearly I wasn't thinking."

The hall was empty, but not the painful emptiness of earlier. It was the emptiness of one of those days when there was no one else in the castle but Mimi and Weatherbold.

"She told Jacob and Abe to turn left," Blake said.

So the left turn was made. Another hall, that was it. Except…

"This leads to the dungeons," Mimi said.

"You have dungeons?"

"It's a very old castle. Of course there are dungeons. But we don't use them for prisoners or anything. My father would practice his magic down there."

"This hall leads directly to the dungeons?"

"No, not specifically. But I assume…"

"That Lavender would use the dungeons for their real purposes. Of course. Lead the way."

The dungeon door no longer bore any sign that she had ever set it on fire. It was locked.

"Open it, please," she instructed the invisible servant.

It didn't seem to move.

"Open the door." Lavender must have put some extra spell on it. Well, no matter, it wasn't her castle. "I'm the daughter of Weatherbold, the sorcerer who created you. This is my home, and you will listen to me."

There was a pause, but then the door began to shake in its frame. The doorknob jilted and rattled and finally the door opened.

The place did not smell at all like her father's dungeon. Gone were the always interesting blends of ingredients. Smoke did not cling to the ceilings. All was darkness.

"Father?" Mimi called. He would not be able to understand her, but anyone could hear the sound of a goose honking. If he were down here. If he were alive.

"I don't hear Jacob or Abe."

"Neither do I. Father?"

The dungeon was still. They crept along. The dark was overpowering. She could not see a thing. Only memory kept her going in the right direction. "Father?"

Something moved. Wings fluttering.

"Father!" Mimi screamed.

"Mimi?"

She choked back a sob, spread out her wings, and flew in the direction of Weatherbold's voice. "Where are you? I can't see anything."

"Just follow my voice, then." Weatherbold's voice was desperate but joyful. "I can see you, you're in the right direction. Just stop before—"

She crashed into wire bars.

"The cage."

She climbed to her feet, dazed and thrilled. "Father, what are you doing in a cage?"

"I might ask you what you're doing in that form. Except I can already tell you the answer."

"Lavender did it. Your stupid, awful wife." She put her head against the bars, crying silently. "I thought I wouldn't see you again. Or hear your voice again. Whatever I'm doing right now."

"Mimi, I'm so sorry. I was going out to meet you when she caught me."

"What did she do to you?"

"I'm afraid it's not far from your own result."

She had transformed him, too. She sighed. Of course. "What are you? I can't see."

"An owl. Charming form for me, I suppose, with her sick sense of humor. She forced these seeds into my mouth and forced me into this cage. What a delightful woman. Mimi, can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course. We're going to get you out. I summoned one of your invisible servants."

Weatherbold laughed. "Good girl. I wondered what had happened to them. I had hoped they had just shrunk into the walls or something. Apparently I was right."

"I'll just have him unlock the cage for you."

Already the cage door was rattling.

"It won't work."

"What do mean it won't work?"

"Just watch. Or listen. You may have gotten through the dungeon door but this cage was sealed by Lavender to be opened by herself only. Apparently I'm too much of a prize right now."

"Just give it some time!"

"Mimi, no. It's useless."

She banged her head against the cage, not caring what Blake thought. It was true. The invisible servant was still fiddling away in vain. "Have you tried something? Can you still do magic?"

"Not much," Weatherbold said. "I've tried everything I can. I just wanted to find out where you were. Have you been safe?"

"Yes. Blake… Blake, where are you?"

The sound of a squirrel running up echoed through the room.

"This is Blake," Mimi continued. "The rightful duke of a little duchy in one of those kingdoms you don't care about. He helped me."

"Ah, the squirrel. Pleasure to meet you. I apologize, but this form was rather hungry watching you."

Blake laughed. "Pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Thank-you for protecting my daughter."

"Of course, sir. And now I'm going to help you out."

"It's no use, Blake. I'm sorry."

"But…"

"I'm sorry, but the two of you are going to have to hide. She was down here only recently, with two others…"

Mimi gasped. "They came down here?"

"More friends of yours?"

"Yes. Jacob and Abe. Where did they go?"

"She took the boy with her, I'm sorry to say."

"She took Abe?" Blake swore under his breath.

"Yes. I don't even want to know why. The taller one is… well, she took him further along that way. Deeper into the dungeons, Mimi. I'm guessing she threw him into an old cell. Hopefully."

"All in the short time she had us trapped in the kitchen," Mimi said, shaking her head.

"She's quick when she has the mind to be," said Weatherbold. "Stay out of her way."

"Father, I can't leave you here."

"Of course you can. Clearly I'm not going anywhere."

"I want to stay here!"

"What about your friends?"

"Mimi, I'll look for Abe. I'll find where she's taken him." And then he was off.

"Good man you've found there," Weatherbold said after Blake was gone. "Very brave."

"He is brave. But he's not mine." Such an odd thing to be discussing with her father.

"He came with you, didn't he?"

"Yes. He's a victim of Lavender's, too. And he's my friend."

"But nothing more?"

"Nothing more."

Weatherbold hesitated, thinking. "Good. Now go."

"Father!"

"I'm an owl right now, I've excellent hearing, someone is coming. Now go." And with that something forced against her and pushed her away from the cage. One of her father's spells. "I'll hide you the best I can."

Trying not to cry, Mimi hid herself further down the dungeon hall as Lavender's footsteps approached. Mimi huddled against a wall behind what she imagined to be a pile of her father's books, thrown haphazardly to the ground. And around her she could feel something, warm and shimmering. Glamour, from her father. He was going to hide her.

The light of a single candle barely touched the dimness.

"You'll never guess who came by today, darling," said Lavender's voice in sing-song. "Another guest. Your daughter. She decided to come home."

"What did you do with her?" Weatherbold demanded furiously.

"Do with her?" She laughed. "I did nothing with her. She's loose about the castle. I had her locked in the kitchen, ready to bring to you when the time was right. I'm sure you would have loved to see each other in your lovely bird forms. But she escaped. And when I catch her and you know I will catch her she will be punished."

"Don't you dare touch her!"

"I freed her. She's the one who decided to return, the silly little goose."

"Harm her and I'll kill you."

"Is that anyway to speak to your wife? You're in the cage, my dear. You have no power over me. You never did. In fact, I'm moving your cage."

"What?"

Mimi's heart flipped.

"I want you to see something. What I did to your idiot daughter. I'll be transforming one of our other guests. That boy that came down here. I'm sure you would love to see an example."

Not Abe! Mimi wanted to rush out and bite Lavender's nose off, but she found herself too terrified to move. The cage rattled as Lavender lifted it.

And then Mimi found herself alone in the dungeon.

* * *

She fell asleep. The excitement of finding her father, the fear for Abe, all of that rushing through her and she had the nerve to fall asleep. But she came to, rubbing sleep from her eyes, a stark naked human in a lightless dungeon. How long had she been asleep?

Quickly she gathered her thoughts. Lavender was going to transform Abe. Lavender had taken her father to another part of the castle. And Jacob was… Jacob was probably somewhere in the dungeon.

"Servant, I need one of my dresses. Don't be seen. And a candle."

This time the invisible servant moved quickly. Within ten minutes it was back, revealing from invisibility one of her dresses and a lighted candle. Oh, these servants were handy! She thanked it and slipped the dress on, then started down the dungeon hall, calling for Jacob.

As a child she had liked to see just how far down the dungeon hall she could go. She had only made in the entire length once, but it seemed that she was about to repeat the journey when a hand, shadowy in the candlelight, stuck out from a cell. "Mimi?"

She rushed over. "Jacob!"

"Where have you been? That crazy woman locked me in here and then drug off Abe. Where's Blake?"

"He went to look for Abe, whom I think is in trouble. Unlock the door. Not you, my invisible servant."

"You really do have an invisible servant," Jacob said in mild surprise as the door swung open. "And what do you mean Abe's in trouble?"

"She told my father she was going to turn him into something. Oh, dear, it's probably already happened. I kind of fell asleep."

"How can you fall asleep at a time like that?"

"I don't know! I was too scared to follow out Lavender and I guess I was tired. Let's just go."

"So much for whatever we were planning to do here," he muttered as he fell into step beside her.

"Like you were any help. I heard you. Asking how long she brewed her tea."

"What was wrong with that?"

"Nothing."

"Then why are you upset?"

"Because… I don't know." She sped up, the wax spilling from the candleholder. "I thought you were my friend. And then you come in here and have small talk with an evil fairy."

"Yes. Talking about tea is betrayal." He paused. "And she's not just an evil fairy."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, she is, but… she said she was Weatherbold's daughter."

"She's a liar."

"I know that much, Mimi. I'm not an idiot. I had heard everything from you and Blake. But there was something so familiar about her and I couldn't quite put my finger on it. But now I'm pretty sure I know who she is. I think she cursed me."

"What?" Mimi stopped. "You told me it was some old hag."

"I know. But the features are the same. Just… younger."

"It's liked she aged backwards. Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty sure." He sighed. "What are the odds? I was really hoping to get away from all that. Not a pleasant time. Squirrels are the worst animal to be."

"What about the dwarf thing?"

"That actually wasn't all that bad. At least I could talk to people and have a normal life."

"What you were was not normal."

"I know. But it was a heck of a lot more normal than running around some old fairy's house cooking for her. I really could have gone on a long time as Dwarf Long-nose."

"You were honestly happy?"

"I accepted it. I dealt with it."

Mimi laughed dryly. "Like you wanted me to deal with being a goose?"

"You have an hour of humanity. I didn't even have that."

"So you were worse off than me?"

"Actually, you ruined everything."

"What? How did I ruin your life?"

Jacob turned his back to her. "I was fine until you showed up. Then you appeared and you didn't want me to cook you and you needed my help and you needed me to find you a dress when you turned back into a human and you needed to me to get you food unless you snuck out into the gardens."

"I didn't think I had been so needy."

"And I was happy to do all of that. But that was all I could do for you. And then came in that winner of a prince and he was all you could think about. And you would have those clandestine meetings and I would continue to get you things knowing all the while that there was nothing else I could do."

"Jacob," Mimi began. She had appreciated all of that. He had no right to make her feel so guilty.

But he ignored her. "I lost everything to the fairy. Everything. And in return I was given this life I really didn't want but dealt with anyway and everything was fine. Until you showed up and ruined it." He shook his head. "We need to get going since you wasted all our time sleeping."

"Jacob," she began again.

He just took the candle from her hand, kissed her firmly on the mouth for three shocking seconds, and then started back up the hall. "Sorry."


	29. In Which There is More Kissing

The glowing sphere of candlelight drifted slowly down the hallway. What had Mimi been thinking, letting Jacob take the candle? Off he went with it, leaving her all alone in the darkness. All because she could not think about moving. What she could think about was Jacob stalking off away from her while she stood here. And she could think about what he had just done.

She gasped suddenly—she had not realized she had been holding her breath. She felt dizzy. What had he just done? What had she just allowed him to do? Kiss her? He had just kissed her while she had stood there like a fool.

"Are you coming?" Jacob asked from ahead.

"Yes." The word was a whisper. She shook her head and tried again. "Yes." Maybe she should put some thought into walking. So she dashed forward until she had caught up with him.

He did not look at her, but his pace slowed down for her. She fell into step beside him. They were close to her father's little room, the dreadful place Lavender had let it become. Beyond that, the exit, and then off to find just where Lavender had taken Abe. And her father.

"I'm really sorry about that," Jacob said finally.

"About what?" An idiotic thing to say. Obviously they were both thinking about the same thing.

He refused to look at her. "The kiss. I'm sorry. I had no business kissing you like that. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Then why did you do it?" There was the room. She could see dimly the place where her father's cage must have set.

"I…"

Who was she to ask that kind of question? Maybe she should take it back, but she didn't trust any other words to come out of her mouth. She quickly crossed the room and headed up the stairs.

"Well, you're very pretty."

"You think I'm pretty?" There she was again, talking. She needed to just stop talking to him.

"Yes."

"So you kissed me because you think I'm pretty? What about later on when I'm a goose? I'm a goose most of the time, Jacob."

Even in the candlelight his blush was obvious. "Didn't you hear a thing I just said back there?"

"Yes, yes I did, and I'm trying to make sense of it because it's the first time I heard of it." Thankfully the door did not lock from the inside. She pushed it open. The sconces of the hall were almost blinding.

"Like I would have said anything to you before."

Her heart whirled. "Well, did you want to? Say something before?"

He stood still. The candle had nearly burnt itself out and was near spilling over the edge. "Any idea where they would have taken Abe and your father?"

"No." She put her hand to her head. "I have no idea. The castle is too big."

"Well, where did Lavender usually hang around?"

"I never paid attention to what she did! Are you going to answer my question?"

He refused to look at her. "What question was that?"

So exasperating. "Did you want to say something to me before about how you felt?"

"Before what?"

She wanted to scream. Instead she pounded her bare foot hard into the stone floor, a painful choice. She gulped back a groan, picked a direction, and set to marching. "So let me get this straight. You go on some rant about miserable your life is and yet how happy you were regardless, bring up how I ruined your life, and kiss me. Is this a new thing for you? Is that why you didn't say anything before?"

"I didn't say anything before because it was futile. Would you have listened?"

She had listened to every word Matthias had said. "I don't know. You could have tried, at least. So you're in love with me."

Jacob picked a corner, and Mimi followed. "I never said I was in love with you."

"I know. You just kissed me instead. And apparently only because I'm pretty."

"It wasn't because you're pretty."

She froze. "Then why?"

He kept walking.

"Jacob, why?"

"I don't know why. I just felt like it."

"And it wasn't because I'm pretty. Well, that's just great. I'm so happy that you've escaped your spell. And I'm sure you're very happy about it. All the things you get to do now. Like going around kissing every girl just because she may or may not be pretty. How fun for you. You didn't even ask me if it was all right to kiss me. You just kissed me and apologized and expected me to accept the apology. So, did you kiss me because I'm pretty or not? Because I'm hearing two different things and it's only a short time before I'm an ugly little goose again."

"So you would prefer me to kiss you when you're a goose?"

"Answer my question first and then we'll get to that."

The hallways and rooms melted into each other. No sign of Lavender. No sign of her father or of Abe. Should they be looking in rooms? Shouldn't there be some way to know if someone was in a room or not? Mimi's heart pounded faster the further they walked. She should be focusing on finding Abe and her father. She was terrified for them. Lavender was a monster. Why couldn't she focus?

"Partially because you're pretty." His voice was hardly conversational, rather near shouting. "Yes, I think you're very pretty. One of the prettiest girls I've ever seen. When you're not a goose. And you're the first girl I've ever kissed. The first girl I've ever really wanted to kiss."

"Really?" Her heart whirled again. Lavender had told her she wasn't pretty.

He nodded as he turned another corner.

"But you were off kissing that prince of yours. Great taste there."

"You were my friend," Mimi said. "You knew I liked you, didn't you? You helped me. We spent all that time together."

"But you had Matthias."

She sighed. "He was a prince, Jacob. I grew up hearing about princes. Of course I was infatuated with him. He was smart and sweet… at first. We both know how that ended." Oh, dear. The realization was like lightening. She had cared for Matthias because he was a prince.

He stopped and set the candle down. No sign of anyone anywhere. "Clearly you read too much."

"I know, I know. Welcome to growing up here."

"It couldn't have been too bad."

"It wasn't."

He was very handsome, Mimi realized. There was something enchanting about what the darkness could do to one's appearance. Did he have any idea how he looked? No wonder Lavender had acted the way she had. Lavender had no right, especially if she was who Jacob said she was. "Are we done arguing?"

"Do you want me to apologize again? We really should be looking for Abe."

"That's what we're doing now."

But it wasn't what they were doing now. Scarcely realizing what she was doing or why she threw her arms around his neck. He moved at the same time, the candle clattering to the floor and going out. Another kiss. It was wonderful.

"Do you hate me that I'm only doing this know?" Mimi asked when the broke apart.

"Why would I hate you?"

"Well, you were my friend before, but now you're human again and you're very handsome and…" She thought of how Matthias had been angry with her when she had spent all her time being angry at Jacob. Jealous. He had been jealous and clearly he had every right to be so. Goodness, how long had this been going on without her knowledge?

Jacob just kissed her again.

"We should really go," she said breathlessly.

"Right. Where? I've been kind of assuming Abe would scream out if he had heard us pass but with you shouting at me this entire time it's been a little hard focus. We're horrible people."

"No, we'll find him. If we can change back my father he can…" She gasped as her bones twisted. No. The hour couldn't be up.

"Or whatever you ate," Jacob said musingly. "It's the same spell, it has to be."

"Jacob, I—" She fell against his chest as she shrunk. Just like she did every night. Her bones shortened, feathers sprouted from her skin. All the usual bits of the stupid transformation were suddenly somehow worse. And it ended, herself in Jacob's arms, once more an ugly little goose.


	30. In Which There are Lots of Doors

The darkness was worse after that. The sconces lining the hall might as well have gone out for all Mimi could see. She leaned against Jacob, her heart pounding.

"Well," he finally replied. "I guess that means we should get back to work."

Indeed it did, she thought miserably.

Jacob did not put her down. She was grateful for that. She just wanted to be next to him, not waddling around on the floor. Somehow being held made her feel less like a stupid goose.

She had forgotten how big the castle was. Growing up it had merely been a place of exploration and home—size didn't matter. Now it was practically endless.

At last they found the right room—or at least a room glowing with light at the bottom. Of course this put them in the rather awkward position of having to open the door to whatever danger could possibly be behind it. Jacob took a deep breath, squeezed Mimi tighter, and opened the door.

It was a smallish room, one Mimi was sure had once been used simply for storage. Indeed, it still looked that way. Shelves filled with jars lined the walls.

Lavender stood in the center of the room, smiling at Jacob and Mimi. She wore a simple purple robe and her hair was down. Picture-perfect innocence and beauty except for her smile. She had been waiting for them.

"I'm getting careless," she said with a laugh. The stupid girlish laugh. "Careless and naïve. My silly goose of a stepdaughter managed to escape me and so has my handsome young guest."

Jacob set Mimi down and pulled a knife from his bag. A kitchen knife. Of course. What else would he have packed from the kitchen?

"Oh, please," Lavender said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not going to kill you. I'm not the type. Killing is so messy and does so very little. So you managed to escape the prisons, Jacob. Interesting. I've never really gone down there, so I guess I'm just going to have to learn those locks better. Unless Mimi decided to do something." She looked down at Mimi with amusement.

"My father taught me a few things," Mimi said.

"I'm sure he did. He's not in here, by the way. I figured he would be the first one you would come looking for. And the little boy. He's not here, either. But he did make himself very useful. Children usually do. As you would know, Jacob."

Jacob's face paled.

"Yes, I know who you are and I am sure you know who I am." Lavender strolled over to the shelves to examine the jars. They were full of leaves, seeds, and flowers. "It's good to see you again. You're less furry than the last time I saw you. I left a few candles lit. I figured you would come to a room with light. Weatherbold and the boy are in the darkness. Can't afford to be wasting candles."

"What did you do with him?" Jacob demanded. He still held the knife.

She pulled a jar from the shelf. Ordinary in appearance, it was still the biggest of the bunch. It did not contain anything that looked like a plant. More like… light. Just light. She opened the lid and sniffed the contents. "Same thing I do to everyone. You know, Jacob, you're welcome to leave. I've already used you twice—though those insults you hurled at me certainly did earn you the second use. Right now I'm perfect, I have a great supply thanks to the boy, and I don't hold any grudge against you. So while I love this happy reunion fate as brought us, you're welcome to leave. I no longer keep squirrels as servants."

"What's in that jar?" Mimi asked.

"Magic, obviously." She put the jar back. "You're welcome to leave as well, Mimi. However, before you leave, answer me one question."

Mimi had no intention of leaving.

"He knows what you are. How?"

Lavender still didn't know she had missed a seed.

"I guess your victims recognize each other," Mimi replied.

"That's not it." Lavender began to pace the room.

And still Jacob stood there like an idiot with a knife.

"I gave you the seeds. Force-fed them. You swallowed them. Unless…" Lavender held up a hand, and the door swung close behind Jacob. "I dropped one. Could I have been so clumsy? I've changed my mind, Mimi. You're not leaving."

Jacob quickly scooped up Mimi. "Don't you touch her!"

"She's my stepdaughter!" Lavender marched over. "What are you going to do with a goose? Give her to me."

"I have a knife."

"You're a cook, not a killer." She laughed.

Then the knife sprang forward into her arm.

With a shriek she leapt back, blood already spraying.

Jacob twisted open the door and ran out into the hall. "She knew all the recipes, but she never set foot in that kitchen," he muttered as he ran. "She trusts too much in her magic and potions."

Mimi still couldn't believe he had cut Lavender.

Mimi heard herself calling for the invisible servant. She had no idea how long it took for one to come, or if there were more around, or even if any invisible servants could hear her as she spouted out the command she should have given in the first place: "Open all the doors. All of the doors but where she is. Lock her in!" Lavender had sent the servants away. Hopefully they would never obey her.

And it happened. One by one the doors opened. Jacob, amazed, slowed down and looked at her.

"Unlock any cages," she commanded. "I don't care if she has spells on them. Break the spells if you can."

The castle halls echoed with the sounds of doors. All doors. Cupboard doors, windows. Cage doors. The sound was like music, and Mimi laughed. What did a goosey laugh sound like to Jacob? She would have to ask him.

Somewhere through it all was the sound of Lavender screaming in fury.

"Lock her in," Mimi said again. "This is not her castle. This is my father's. Obey me. I'm my father's daughter. Do not obey her."

"Mimi!" came a voice so wonderful to hear. Dear, dear Blake. The squirrel bounded up, seeming equally amazed with the chorus of doors.

And right behind him, looking very terrified, was a guinea pig. Abe.


	31. In Which Things Smash

_All right, this chapter had been planned out different than it goes down. My prior plan wound up as overly complicated and no one was in the right place. Some offline opinions found it rather classic, but is it too simple?_

* * *

Or at least she imagined it to be Abe. Mimi couldn't think of anyone else who would be running around the castle. She had not been gone that long.

She was about to ask when Jacob, who despite being unable to understand a word they said, said it first. "Abe?"

Mimi twisted from Jacob's arms and fluttered to the floor. She had never seen a sicker-looking guinea pig.

"Yes," said Abe the Guinea Pig. "The squirrel says she put a spell on me. I didn't know. She just… she dragged me into this room. And then this happened. I hate it."

"Unbelievable," she muttered. One spell down and then another one popping back up in its place.

"I got to him too late," Blake apologized. "She had already fed him the herbs."

All those jars back in that room where they had just trapped Lavender… great. "Where's my father?"

Blake shook his head. "I haven't seen him."

"How come I have to be a guinea pig?" Abe asked. "Geese can fly."

She had an urge to bite him. But instead she took a deep breath and tried to calm down. They had broken one spell, they knew how to do it. "What did she make you eat?"

"Leaves," Abe replied with annoyance. "She said she wanted me to have a drink and she crushed all the leaves into it."

"Do you know what they looked like?"

He shook his head.

"I'm sorry," said Blake. "I didn't see them."

She stared down the hallway at open door after open door. All the doors save Lavender's were open. "Father!" she called.

No answer, just the echoes of Lavender still screaming obscenities at them from the distance.

"What did she make you eat?" Jacob asked, like anyone could actually respond to him.

Mimi gave him a withering look, and he closed his mouth, fuming.

"So," Blake said slowly. "What's happening?"

She spent a moment trying to decide what he meant by that question, then figured he didn't know right now about anything between her and Jacob. "Lavender's locked up."

"Really? Where is she?" His tail perked up as he looked down the hall. "I noticed all the doors opening."

"All but hers. Jacob slashed her in the arm and then I made one of the servants lock her door."

"And how much time does that give us?"

"I told the servant not to let her out, no matter what."

"But she's an evil fairy," Abe pointed out.

"The boy is right," said Blake.

"No one warned me there would be an evil fairy that evil!"

"We need to get back into that room, Blake," Mimi said, ignoring Abe despite feeling horrible he had been involved. "That's where she keeps everything. All of her herbs."

"What about your father?" Blake asked.

"I don't know. I thought he would find me. I don't where she put him. I told the servant to open all the doors… He would be out. Unless…" No. She couldn't think that way. It wasn't a fair way to think. Everything would be fine. Lavender had never killed anyone.

Blake put a paw on her shoulder. "Mimi, I'm sure he's fine. Where's this room?"

Jacob, apparently bored of listening to animal chatter, was already heading that way, knife in hand. He could be so wonderfully insane.

As well could Blake. "Come on," he said, scampering after Jacob.

The single closed door stood out far more than one would have expected a door. But there it was, noticeably closed among all the other doors swung out at identical angles. Lavender was still behind it, banging and yelling. Jacob stopped in front of it, the knife held up in his hand, blade outwards.

"Is that a kitchen knife?" Abe asked.

"He can't hear you," Mimi said.

All the bravery of Jacob and Blake seemed to have died away into a chilling "now what?" Mimi could scarcely breathe. Her father should have come out by now. He should be with her, taking charge of this mess because he was the only one who knew how to do magic.

"Mimi," Jacob said slowly. "If you're thinking the same thing I'm thinking, please have these things open the door."

Was she thinking the same thing as him? She didn't know what he was thinking. He was idiot posed opposite a single door from a mad fairy. Who knew what she would do when it was opened?

"Servant," she said. "Open the door. Carefully." Carefully? What was carefully supposed to mean here?

But as if the servant were reading her mind the door opened very slowly. Lavender's screaming stopped. Jacob's gasped and thrust the knife forward.

But Lavender had moved to the corner of the room. Her arm had stopped bleeding, but she still looked fit to kill.

"You were always good with carving, Jacob," she spat, running a finger over the wound. "You were one of my finest cooks. And look at you now. Trying to kill me after everything I had done for you. Ungrateful."

Jacob's arm lowered. "Ungrateful? You took away my life!"

Blake slipped into the room, and Mimi and Abe followed him. The shelves were filled with more jars than she had previously noticed. "Abe, do you recognize it?" Blake asked. "The leaf?"

"It was small." His voice cracked. "She crushed it so quickly. I didn't see."

"Think."

"It was dark green."

"They're all dark green!"

Meanwhile, Jacob still delayed whatever he was trying to do. He looked terrified. More terrified than when the Duke had sentenced him to death.

"I didn't take away your life," Lavender said softly. "Killing you would have taken away your life. I just… changed you. You were very rude, talking to your elders that way. You deserved it. And I heard of what had become of you. One of the top cooks in a noble house! Would that have happened if we had never met?"

"I couldn't even go back to my family." The knife shook in his hand.

"An unfortunate price to pay. So sorry." Lavender took a step forward. "Was it so bad? Apparently you met my little stepdaughter somewhere along the way."

Mimi froze. Lavender watched her. Just stab her, Jacob, she silent begged.

"You transformed Mimi."

"Not very well. What went wrong there? When did you two meet?" Another step forward and another. "Were you that dwarf creature when you met? Is that how you spoke? Or something else? I must say I'm curious. Even more curious than I am of seeing how a guinea pig and a squirrel will open one of my jars!" She shrieked the last sentence, and Abe scurried to the wall. Blake hopped to the shelf, but Lavender didn't seem to particularly care. Another step brought her there, opposite of Blake. She began to pull the jars down, one after another.

"Be quick about it, then," she said as she pulled down jars faster and faster. "If you're going to stab me. Oh, you can cut up a woman's arm, but can you stab a heart?"

"You have no heart," Jacob said. He still did not move.

"Oh, but I do."

Jacob finally moved. He sprinted across the room, knife outstretched. But he never made it to Lavender.

The shelves ran deep, and enough jars had been removed for her to remove something else—the motionless form of an owl.

Mimi screamed, and Jacob slid to a halt.

"He sleeps," Lavender said as she cradled Weatherbold in her arm. "For now. Drop the knife."

The knife clattered to the floor.

"I still don't trust you." She lay down Weatherbold and walked over to Abe, who sat trembling. "Children scare the easiest. " She picked him up, then grabbed an empty jar form the shelf.

"No!" shouted Jacob.

She stuffed a squirming Abe into the jar and put on the lid.

Jacob picked up the knife.

"I already told you to drop that, Jacob. Now."

"Let him go."

Mimi didn't know what to do. Blake clung to the shelf, eyes on Abe in the jar, but Lavender did not set him down. And there was her father, lying motionless, feathered chest barely rising. No wonder he hadn't come. He had been here the entire time. She began to silently cry.

"You have a choice, Jacob," Lavender said. "I can tell the boy means a lot to you. Very sweet. But I don't want that knife anywhere near me. And therein lies your choice. He'll suffocate in that jar and his life will be on your hands and I will also kill Weatherbold. Or you can give me that knife and let me walk out of here. That's all I ask."

"If I kill you," Jacob said, "You can do nothing to them."

"I can choke the bird before you come near me. I can strangle a guinea pig. I'm sure you would all love to see that. You might move quickly. But would you dare it?" Once more she picked up Weatherbold.

"Don't you touch him!" Mimi shouted. "Jacob will let you go!"

Lavender laughed. "Mimi is on my side with this, Jacob."

Jacob looked at Mimi then back at Lavender. "Free them from their spells. Everyone here. Let them go."

"You have our herbs here," Mimi said. "Get them for us. Tell him I want him to let you go if you do that."

"Silly girl. I already noticed a big difference in my jar, which I imagine was from Jacob's transformation. I'm not going to give back four more sources!"

"Sources of what?" Jacob asked. "What are you talking about?"

"The more you talk, the worse it is for the boy." She nodded at the jar, where Abe's eyes were half-closed. "Make your choice. And Mimi, you're in no position to make deals while I have your father."

"I have the knife," Jacob said.

"And I've the guinea pig and the owl. Shall I bring the squirrel into it as well? I imagine he's one of mine. You remember being a squirrel, don't you, Jacob? A monstrous dwarf would be much more preferably after that."

At that moment, something crashed to the floor. Several things, and the air filled with the smells of plants. Blake was in the process of pushing over another jar, but Lavender did not notice.

Among the broken glass and dried herbs lay something dusty and golden, though the luster was quickly fading.

Lavender gasped, and pushed Abe and Weatherbold onto the shelf. "What have you done?" She brought her hands to her face. Her skin changed, fading with the dust's color. Her hair was grey by the time she made it to her knees, plunging her hands into the dust and pushing it into a pile.. "Bring me another jar! Now!"

No one moved, and only another jar of something crashed down next to Lavender. She rose, shaking, and took hold of an empty jar.

And then Jacob did move. He approached Lavender and drove the knife into her heart. The empty jar fell from her hands and joined the rest of the broken glass. She gasped again, eyes widening in pain.

Jacob pulled the knife away, blood dripping from it. His face was pale and sick as he stared at the knife.

Lavender fell to the floor, clutching her chest. Blood seeped from between her fingers at first, but a moment later there was nothing. She collapsed forward, hair now white, grey skin crumbling like spilling sand. She made no noise. By the time her head touched the floor, little more than a skeleton remained.


	32. In Which Weatherbold Fixes Everything

_This section was written in consideration of the actual fairy tale, which I shall now quote for your comparison "They got through the journey without accident, and the wizard soon released his daughter."-Andrew Lang translation, Violet Fairy Book _

* * *

A skeleton. Of all things that could be her stepmother, she had to be a skeleton. Mimi stared at the pile of ashes and bones as she tried to put together in her mind what had exactly happened.

"What did I just do?" Jacob said softly. His stare happened to be on the kitchen knife. His face was now white and it seemed quite possible he would soon faint.

"Oops," was all Blake could say from the shelf. "I was just trying to… I'm not sure what I was trying to do."

"Be a hero," Mimi said happily. At least this was something to be happy about, despite the bizarreness. "You were a hero."

"And now there's a pile of ashes." He rose back on his squirrel feet and laughed. "I've done it. I've helped kill her."

Feelings were coming together now. Ashes. Bones. Lavender dead. Should she feel so happy about a dead person? Yet she did and it was delightful. "Thank-you. You've protected me. As you said you would."

"So I did." Blake sounded surprised, but he bowed his low squirrel bow.

Jacob regained his senses, grabbed the jar containing Abe, and opened it. He sighed in relief as he pulled the guinea pig out. "He's alive."

And her father?

As if reading her mind, he checked the owl. "He's breathing. They're both fine." He returned to Abe. "Wake up, you idiot boy."

Abe stirred.

Oh, good.

Jacob set him down on the shelf as he came to, little eyes blinking wildly and mouth sucking in air.

"I'm not dead," Abe said. "I'm still a guinea pig. Unless I am dead and I'm wear the preacher said I'd go and part of that is being a guinea pig."

Blake laughed out loud. "You're fine, Abe. You're fine."

Abe stared at the pile of dust. "What…"

"Lavender," Mimi said quickly, letting the name explain everything.

"That's disgusting." But Abe's voice was impressed. "I don't understand. What happened?"

"She's dead. Blake knocked over her jar of magic and Jacob stabbed her."

Jacob had returned to staring at the knife. He still did not seem to have noticed what was left of the body.

No time to worry about these boys. She flew to the shelf where her father was. "Father!"

He did not reply. But he was breathing. Good strong owl breathing or whatever that was. That was good except for the fact that she preferred him awake.

Blake appeared next to her. "What did she do to him?"

They looked up as the knife clattered to the floor. Jacob was frowning, looking more like his old self as color returned to his face. It did not take him long to get over slaying an old enemy. "All right, then. Now what? Blake and I have just killed the only person capable of switching you all back."

And so they had. Or no they hadn't. Weatherbold was the greatest sorcerer in kingdoms around. "Father!" she screamed again.

He hooted softly, but his eyes did not open.

With a goosey snarl she turned from him. At least he was alive and all right. Now to look at the jars. Seeds. She had swallowed seeds. Seeds she had never even had a chance to see before they were forced down her throat. "Blake, recognize anything?"

"Why do you think I was up here?"

"Trying to save me?"

Jacob was already at the door. "Do any of you still recognize your herbs?"

If Mimi had hands she would throw a jar at him. Blake only shook his head.

Maybe they shouldn't have been so hasty in killing Lavender. Maybe they could have threatened her. It was working. Had it not been? Until Blake knocked over the jar…

Something stirred near her, then coughed. "Mimi?"

She whirled around, feathers flying. "Father!"

It was so odd to see him as an owl, and yet she herself was a goose. What was more odd?

Weatherbold stood up, as owls would, talons grabbing at the edge of the shelf. "What happened?"

"Sir!" Blake rushed over and bowed. "Are you all right?"

"She slipped me something," Weatherbold muttered. "She was always slipping me things. She forced this one on me. Mimi, are you all right?"

Mimi nodded. If she could hug him she would. "Lavender's gone."

"What?" Her father stared at the floor, owl eyes wide, though that could have been just the owl aspect. They took in the sight of the dust and bones. For a few moments he said nothing. Then he began to laugh. "Who did this?"

"I did, sir," Blake replied. "With the help of Jacob over there."

Jacob was looking at Weatherbold with no particular interest. "If you are really Mimi's father the great sorcerer, they're probably going to need your help."

"And who is he?" Weatherbold asked.

"Jacob," Mimi said. "He's my… friend."

"Well, then," Jacob continued. "What are you going to do? Your daughter is a goose, my apprentice is a guinea pig, our duke is a squirrel, and you, sir, appear to be an owl. Are you going to fix it or will I be leaving on my own?"

Weatherbold laughed. "I like him."

Wonderful, though Mimi. "I'm glad."

"She kept me in a cage," Weatherbold said as he turned his beak to the rows of jars. "I was going to meet you, and she then poisoned me. I'm so sorry."

"Father, I don't want to hear your apologies." She did, but she was so close to being a human permanently. A spell or two and she would be back. "Can you fix this?"

"Of course I can, Mimi. You know who I am."

"She had Jacob under a spell, too. He just had to eat the same herb of the spell. If we find those—"

Her father cut her off. "I don't dabble in herbs much. I never much understood it."

"But—"

"Mimi, I am the Great Weatherbold." He spread his wings an impressive span and flew to the door. "I can fix all of this. Oh, but it feels good to fly." He seemed almost suited as an owl.

"Father!" She took after him.

"My dungeons."

"But you can't lift anything!" She had seen his jars, his books. Hands would be required. Though the talons of an owl would be something with which to reckon.

But he flew on, wings grazing the sides of the halls in the delight of flying. He did not have to say a thing for Mimi to see the obvious. It made her happy. Her father was happy, everything would be fine.

Assuming a few spells could be worked.

Her father flew fast, and by the time Mimi arrived at the dungeon fires were roaring from torches and he was attempting to yank out a cauldron. Sadly it was far too heavy for him.

"Books," he muttered. "Mad woman left my shelf alone, thank goodness." He beat his wings in the air as he tore out books, which landed on the floor in heaps.

"You know what you're looking for?" Mimi asked.

"More or less. I can find it. She tricked me. That was all."

"You still have your magic?"

"From the sounds of it you still have yours, my girl. It was that cage, I suspect. I could do nothing in that cage."

"Mimi?" Jacob's voice called from the dungeon door. "Mimi? Are you down here?"

She laughed and wondered if she should give a goosey honk back. "Blake, Abe?"

Tiny feet scurried down the stairs, followed by Jacob's bigger and louder ones.

"I may require your friend Jacob's help."

"Father, I can't talk to him. He just hears… goose noise."

"Hmm… That's unfortunate. Oh, well. You'll still have to make him pull out the cauldron somehow."

Maybe Jacob would be inspired to cook something. That could work.

Jacob, Blake, and Abe appeared. "Wow," breathed Jacob.

"Someone make him grab that cauldron," Mimi said, flying over to it herself.

"What is going on?" asked Jacob.

Mimi nodded furiously at the cauldron, and Abe ran over. Good little cook apprentice Abe.

"What's it for?" Abe asked. At least he was helpful.

"My father. Fixing us. Unless you want to stay like that forever."

Finally enough animals hanging around a cauldron struck an idea with Jacob. "You want the pot?" he asked.

Cauldron, but whatever.

"That pot she has in that corner? Can't you just do your magic over there?"

"I want it over here, please," said Weatherbold sternly.

Jacob looked at them as if they were all mad. "Fine." He picked up the cauldron and carried it to the middle of the room. "I had better be helping something."

"Actually, I don't want the cauldron at all," Weatherbold said. He flipped pages with his beak, looking happier and happier the more he did so.

How much would it take to get Jacob to carry it back?

"I've found something else. We're set."

She was going to get out of this goose body. Permanently. She was going to be fine.

"No, I've none of this. This is next to impossible to get."

"Father!"

"Patience. You've been waiting all this time, you can wait more."

"What am I suppose to do with this pot?" Jacob asked dryly. "Is anyone hungry?"

"That boy needs to be patient," Weatherbold muttered. Then he gave a deep sigh and slammed the book close with his head. "Well, daughter, back upstairs."

"Why?" she asked.

"For herbs." He sounded bitter at the thought. "I found a little charm to locate your herbs. Boringly simple."

"So no crazy magic?" Abe asked.

"I'm afraid not." He stretched out his wings and took off once more.

Blake gave a sigh of irritation.

"Why did I carry this thing over?" Jacob demanded. "Did I read you all wrong?"

The herbs were all there. Lavender had been a very thorough fairy. Weatherbold studied the jars carefully before pointing out three in confidence. "Those. Those will do it."

"And it they don't?" asked Blake.

"Nothing will happen. I didn't put the original spell on them."

Mimi's jar contained seeds. Small and flat, similar to those of a sunflower. They seemed right.

It was decided she would go first, as the lady. It felt weird. Shouldn't it be Blake? He had waited years. Or her father? But she accepted, gratefully.

As the door closed for her, a dress was shoved through it.

Jacob.

She smiled.


	33. In Which Everyone is Fine

_So today is my 9th anniversary for being on this site. Wow, how sad is that?_

* * *

It worked. Of course it worked. Weatherbold was the greatest sorcerer in kingdoms around and there could be no doubt in his skill or magic. Mimi scooped the seeds into her bill. They were dry and tasteless, but her body loved them as their magic made its way through her. The idea occurred to her that maybe, just maybe, her father had gotten everything wrong and she would instead find herself trapped in some other horrible body. But instead the transformation was like it had been for so many nights, growing and stretching and feathers disappearing until she was herself, her own perfect self and if everything went right this would be her for the rest of her life. She studied her hands, felt her face, scarcely believing it was real. It barely morning, and here she was, just like she was supposed to be. She slipped on the same dirty dress that had been passed around so long and stepped out in the hall.

"It worked," she said.

Abe regained his form, looking no worse for the short experience as a guinea pig. Jacob had managed to find his clothes stashed away in the corner of some room, and Abe was back to bouncing around the hall as if he had just had the greatest adventure and there was nothing more exciting than being transformed into an animal and stuffed in a jar to suffocate.

It took the longest to find the right seeds for Blake. Weatherbold, human again and wrapped in his favorite robe, went through nearly the entire collection, humming to himself and studying Blake and casting jars of herbs aside in favor of others until finally his eyes lit up and he settled on a jar. "This is it. I'm sure of it."

Sure enough, the door opened and Blake stepped out, hands gripping the doorknob as if there were no finer thing to touch. He wore clothes borrowed from Weatherbold. Pale brown hair hung in snarls down his back, but his face was lit with a wide grin and a gleam in his pale eyes that made Mimi sure this was the same squirrel. He was handsome, despite looking a mess. Storybook handsome. Once he was cleaned up there would be no question he was the real Duke.

"This feels wonderful!" was all he could say. He tried to take a step from the door, but stumbled. All that did was make him laugh. "Walking. Real walking."

Mimi ran to his side and helped him up, though he tried weakly to refuse. "So you're Blake," she said, hugging him tightly.

He hugged her back, a little too tightly. Clearly he had not figured out his human strength yet. "I guess we can get real sleep now."

Wouldn't that be nice?

He released her. "Matthias."

The name came too suddenly for Mimi, and she stepped back as if Blake were becoming Matthias. "What?"

"I want him gone." Blake's face was like stone. "I can get him now. I can stop Matthias and Silas now. That's what we're supposed to do now, Mimi. Stop them."

She stared at him. Five minutes as a human and he was ready to storm the manor, though she could not deny the thrill that went through her. Especially at the idea of Matthias' face when she strode right back up to him and… what would she do to him? Imagination was too fun a thing at such times. "All right."

"Only if you want to help me, of course. I have no right assuming—"

"I'll help. It's your right to have that place. Of course I'll help."

"I'd like a little revenge myself," Jacob said.

It was the first thing he had said in a long time. And Mimi had not even noticed. Her Jacob, watching her walk out of that door completely human and pretty or whatever he had called her and he had said nothing. He had not even smiled. What would he do if she ran across the room and threw herself into his arms right at this moment? Would that make him smile and speak to her? Or was something wrong? Maybe she should say something. Except she had no idea what to say.

Her father looked over them all, looking pleased with his skill despite the growing frown. "You're not going to ask for my help with this, are you?"

Mimi looked at him, pleading, all the while trying to remember an instance where he had used magic for something harmful. He could very well do so, she had no doubt. But all those men who had come to him as customers… there had never been anything malevolent that she had known of. "They both tried to have Jacob killed. The Duke killed Blake's entire family."

The pity was there. Her father was a good man. But he shook his head. "You came here seeking help for that? And to turn yourselves back? Was that all? Was that all?"

Blake shakily stepped forward. "Sir, I brought Mimi here for her own help! She wanted to find you, to know what you were all right. And we've done that!"

Weatherbold's face grew dark. "I thank you for your assistance in saving me, Blake. But that gratitude will not manifest itself in killing someone with whom I hold no grudge. I do not kill."

"You let us kill Lavender," Mimi said.

"She meant to harm you. You had no other choice."

Mimi glanced at Jacob, who refused to meet her eyes. What was wrong?

"I'd kill her again," Jacob said softly. "Gladly."

Blake nodded, then managed to pull himself without falling to his full height. "Sir, I understand. I know absolutely nothing about magic except what I was put through all these years and what I've watched from Lavender. I do not even recall asking for your help, though."

Weatherbold blushed.

"All I ask is that you do nothing to stop us." Blake spoke clearly, firmly, just like any decent noble should.

With that the smile Mimi loved about her father returned. "I guess I'm just too used to being asked for things. I hold no allegiance. Do what you will. And perhaps I do have a few things that might… assist you in whatever you try to do."

"Anything you can teach me?" Mimi asked.

Her father's eyes landed on her. "You will not be going anywhere."

"What?" In all these years her father had rarely given her any kind of command. It was not how their system worked. "Father, I have to go. Blake…"

"Blake and Jacob and will be fine, my dear." He approached her and put his hand on her cheek. "I barely remember you of these past few years. I won't let that happen again."

"Father, I'm fine. I—"

"Mimi, you have never made me more proud than you have lately. Standing up to Lavender. Finding me again. Taking control back of the castle. But I can't let you go again."

"Why not?"

But Weatherbold turned away, robe sweeping behind him. The perfect vision of a sorcerer. "Let me know before you leave, gentlemen. I'll be happy to give you anything you need that will not kill."

A few days ago she had wanted nothing more than to be home. And now she was home and forced to remain there, amazingly enough, against her will. When had it come to that? Matthias was back there, His Madness the Duke, and everyone else was just going to head back that way while she sat back here and did… what? Read? Collect herbs in the garden? Storming a manor would probably be the most fun she would ever have.

"Your father is a good man, Mimi," Blake said. He continued to study his now-human self.

"The best," she muttered.

"When are we leaving?" Abe asked excitedly.

"Soon." Blake gazed into the wall like it offered everything he needed to know. "I've never done this thing before."

"Just like coming here," said Jacob with a stiff laugh.

"I'll sneak in," Blake rambled on. "It's one thing I've learned from being a squirrel. I'll sneak in during the dead of night and… do something. I don't know. Jacob, you must know everything about that place. How to break in, the rooms, you'll be helping me, won't you?"

Another laugh, this time more lively. "As I don't see any adoring troops ready for your commands, I suppose I'll have to."

"And your revenge?"

"Of course."

Mimi wanted to scream. She might as well not even have stood there. She was merely some girl now. No longer a goose and apparently useless. She crossed her arms over her chest and slunk down to the floor, wondering why they all just stood in a hall talking.

"Mimi?" Blake asked.

"Go," she said, keeping her eyes on the ground. "End this mess. You've done so much for me already, Blake. I don't think I can ever thank you properly. And now you need to go. Destroy them both. I don't care what you do, but get your manor and your title back. You'll be a wonderful ruler. And marry Lucy! Be sure to come visit me when you're in power. I'll just… stay here."

He seemed surprised by her words. Squirrels simply did not show surprise the way humans did. "Mimi, your father wants you here. You're safe now."

Great. Safe. What a wonderful word. It was the last thing she wanted. She climbed back to her feet. "And you're going, too, Jacob?"

His eyes barely glanced at her. "Of course. Would you expect me to stay here?"

Yes. If that were the only choice. But she did not say that. "No, but…"

"Both your prince and the Duke tried to kill me. I'm helping Blake."

"My prince? You're still calling him that?"

No response.

She crossed the room and slapped him hard across the face. No stupid wing, just the fully wonderful thing known as a hand. How she had missed it! Abe laughed outright, and Jacob put his own hand to his face and stared at her in amazement.

"So you're just going to leave me here, then?"

"Mimi, you heard what your father said."

Yes, she had heard it and she didn't care. Right now her heart was screaming for her to leave this place all over again. And here was Jacob barely speaking to her for some unimaginable reason only hours after kissing her, all ready to leave and possibly get himself killed and never see her again. "Ask my father for my hand."

Blake stumbled to the floor. Mimi felt the way same way. What had she just said? She had been thinking no such thing.

"What did you say?" Jacob asked.

She tried to remember. "Um…"

"You said for him to ask your father for you hand," Abe quickly pointed out.

Yes, that had been right. Why would she want him to do that? Her head was spinning. "Well, if you married me, I could come with you."

"I'm not asking your father to marry you!" Jacob all but yelled.

"I think… I missed something," Blake whispered as he picked himself up.

"Oh, for crying out loud." Jacob grabbed Mimi's wrist and dragged her into the room where Lavender's ashes still littered the floor. "I don't need either of them hearing this."

"I'm sorry I said that." She considered pulling her hand back, but she truthfully did not mind him holding it. "I don't know what I was thinking. I'm back in my body, I can't think straight."

"Obviously. Mimi, I can't marry you!"

"I said I was sorry for saying that."

He kissed her hand then let it go. "You really are a sorcerer's daughter."

"I told you that. I thought you believed me."

"I did! I did believe your father was a sorcerer. But now I've seen it for my own eyes."

"He's not going to turn you into anything again. And I don't know what that has to do with anything. Forget I said that. It's been a really long night."

"Your father is this mighty sorcerer and I'm a cook. My parents were farmers."

What was he talking about? "Jacob—"

"That's why I can't marry you."

"Because of my father?" This was unbelievable. "It's not like I'm a princess."

"You might as well be."

She had a strong urge to hit him again. "Are you saying you would marry me?"

He stared at her a long time. "I thought you just said that to say it."

"I did."

"I'm not speaking to your father. He would say no. I wouldn't even dare."

"I don't want you to." But her heart hurt as she spoke. He would marry her? So now he was in love with her? Just what was she supposed to think about that?"

"Mimi, I'm sorry." He took both of her hands and squeezed them. Then he kissed her.

Was it natural to enjoy a kiss and want to kill the person at the same time?

* * *

Jacob, Blake, and Abe did not stay long. That afternoon they left, armed with a few spells from Weatherbold and farewells from her. She had hugged Blake the longest, and could barely be near Jacob. Then she watched them leave, off to try whatever crazy plan was in their heads.

"Good men, both of them," her father as he closed the castle door behind him. It was just he and Mimi in there, back to how it had been for years. "I hope they succeed."

Mimi nodded.

"They were very good friends to you."

"They were."

"You need to eat something. You look so tired."

Food in the kitchen that had so recently been Lavender's. "Father, did Jacob say anything to you?"

The pause was almost indiscernible. Almost. "A few things, of course."

"Anything specific?"

"Mimi, I don't think I need to discuss my business with you." He spoke kindly, just sternly. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be cruel. I missed you so much." He hugged her then, as tightly as she had ever wanted a hug.

She leaned her head against him. Her father was back and all right. No more Lavender. Everything was back to normal. The past few years might as well have not existed and maybe soon the visitors would return, begging for spells.

She yawned. "Would you hate me if I went to lie down?"

"Never. I think you need it. If you need me, I'll be doing what I can with that mess of my workroom."

"Of course." She kissed his cheek.

She stopped in the kitchen. She was hungry. And who couldn't use food?

Her room was wonderful. She did in fact lie back on her bed, loving the feel of something soft underneath her. But a minute or two of that was all she needed, and then she was back, going through her dresses, picking out a few clean ones. It was good to be back in a dress that was hers. And shoes. Was there nothing better than shoes?

Getting out of the window was harder. It was probably safe to walk right out of the doors, but the window just called to her. She asked the servants for a rope and managed to tie it where it did not seem too keen on slipping. Repelling down a wall had nothing on flight. Was she already missing flight?

Before long the castle was far behind her, and there was no sign of her father noticing a thing.


	34. In Which Mimi Returns to Ralwood

_Sorry. Biggest delay ever._

* * *

One thing Mimi quickly realized was that she was no good at moving fast. Another thing she realized just as quickly was that she had never been by herself in the woods like this. Night was falling, and the woods did not become brighter for it. She was cold, tired, and rather missing her coat of feathers. Would it have killed her to wait until morning? What had she been thinking? That she could catch up with a three guys so quickly after they had hours of head start? It was all she could do to keep from screaming at them and praying they would hear her.

If only she had kept her wings. She could have flown ahead and found them.

Still she pushed through the night, hoping against hope they would have settled down to sleep. Then again if that had been their intention why had they not stayed the night? Besides the fact that Jacob apparently thought he father was crazy. As it was, she trekked on through, winding through trails that only seemed half-familiar, and cursing both silently and aloud at all three of them, little Abe included. Her eyesight was worse than when she was a goose and several times she was certain she was lost. But just before dawn the woods were behind her and the expanse of countryside was open in front of her.

For a moment she wondered what she looked like. It seemed, in the distance, people were beginning their morning routines, and she had just spent hours stumbling through the forest. Her hair was a mess, her dress destroyed, and there wasn't a sign of Jacob or Blake or Abe or anyone who could remotely pass for them. She did not want to be the strange girl wandering through asking about them, either. Not that she had ever been the girl outside asking anyone about anything. The last time she had been out in this area she had been a goose. She had absolutely no idea how to talk to anyone who wasn't visiting the castle.

Was she going to go back to that castle? She pushed that thought out of her mind and instead just kept walking. It took ages, it seemed. How had Lavender made it so far? Her stupid evil fairy nature? The irony was that now when wings would have been very handy, she no longer had them. As she walked the land slowly became more and more familiar. Why wouldn't it? This was the third time she had crossed the land. She stopped to eat when she was hungry, and she greeted those who greeted her, but after all she kept moving. She wasn't sure why she was so determined to keep moving. Was she afraid that Prince Matthias would somehow disappear? Give up his sorry excuse for being the ass he was and move on from the manor?

Somehow it didn't seem that. She was sure Blake could handle that , and Jacob would be more than happy to help out with that. Jacob.

Yes, she was pretty sure it was Jacob. Which made her curse him all the more. Who was she to be coming after him? After all that? He was the one who had walked away.

But that was it. The main reason she was out here, away from her father, away from the home she had been trying to return to all this time, was Jacob.

Who at this time was somehow far ahead of her with a former squirrel and a child.

It was late in the afternoon by the time Ralwood appeared. She had never thought she would be so happy to see the city. She entered and moved easily through the streets. Marketers were still out, and wares were still being called out. The squawking of geese was especially noisy to her, and she had to wonder who was now out buying them for the Duke's dinner. Just who in the kitchen had replacd Jacob on that task? Maybe she should have felt more pity, but she didn't. In fact, who knew what was going on in the manor these days?

No one paid her a glance, and for that she was grateful. She was just a stranger in the city, and apparently not a threat. She wandered through, hoping to hear Jacob's voice or even a mention of anything that was happening in the manor.

But she didn't hear any of that. What she did hear was her name, called out in surprise.

"Mimi?"

The street was nearly empty, so when she turned Abe was in clear view, staring at her in wide-eyed surprise.

She couldn't help but smile. Finally, catching up. "Surprised?"

Abe managed a nod, and Mimi had the feeling he still had difficulty imagining her as anything but a goose. "You followed us?"

"There was nothing to follow!" she said as she hurried over to him.

"We did have horses."

Why hadn't she thought of that? "I couldn't stay back there."

Abe nodded again, and nearly laughed as he said "Jacob and Lord Blake are going to kill you."

"I don't care."

"Why did you come?"

It was not the time to answer that. "Where is Jacob?"

"The chapel." Abe seemed nervous just saying that. "He and Lord Blake wanted to go to see the priest. To… see if they couldn't get inside the manor."

It was unfair. It was Blake's manor, after all. "Does… does the priest know who Jacob is?"

Abe shrugged.

"What's going on in the manor? You can get inside, can't you?"

He nodded. "Of course I can. I said I was out on the search. Everyone is saying that. The Prince is furious, not to mention His Madness. But I think the Prince is angrier."

Perfect. Matthias angry. What could be better than an angry Matthias? He deserved it. But what of her? What exactly was Matthias thinking of her? Oh, but she hoped he was just as angry about her disappearance as he was over Jacob's. That thought alone made the entire day worth it.

"What about you?" Abe asked. "What are you going to do here?"

"Help, I suppose." She tried to remember where the chapel was from there. "Abe, where's the chapel?"

He pointed, and she followed.

The chapel was more full than she had expected. The priest looked the same as Mimi remembered, grey-haired and calm. He spoke to no one, merely focused his attention on sweeping the floor, and it took a moment for Mimi to spot Jacob. He sat in a pew, staring thoughtfully into space. Nearby was Blake, looking at a carving on the wall.

Mimi could not get over how Blake looked. Regal was the only definition now. He seemed very much the proper young duke visiting a church. He deserved the duchy, she realized. More so than His Madness or Prince Matthias.

The latter of whom was speaking to the priest.

Mimi froze outside the doorway and half-way wondered if she should run. But Matthias was not looking at her or anyone but the priest. He also seemed the only one who did not realize the tension inside the chapel. Jacob was not praying and Blake was admiring nothing. All that existed was the gratitude that Prince Matthias was unable to recognize either of them.

Matthias did not seem to be saying anything of any particular importance. He certainly acted like royalty, even the sweet royalty she had fallen in love with, nothing fearsome, nothing too bold. He was merely speaking of the duchy, the weather, things that happened in the capital city. The priest went along with it, just sweeping. Not a polite priest at all.

He had been told.

Mimi finally regained enough control to slip away from the door. She hurried to the side of the church and planted herself under a window. It was better. She could not see Jacob or Matthias, but she could hear everything perfectly.

And Matthias' choice of conversation was gradually growing more serious. Clearly he was not in there to make chit-chat with the local priest. "I'm sure you've heard of the cook that escaped."

The priest nonchalantly cleared his throat. "I've heard. Jacob. The second most powerful cook in the Duke's manor, was he not?"

"He offended the Duke."

More emotionless replies from the priest. "That's what I heard. A pity. I had always liked Jacob. Just shows you can't trust people."

"Especially a monstrosity like that."

"Indeed, Your Majesty. I suppose you are asking if he came here begging sanctuary?"

"You did mention that you were friends?" There was an edge to Matthias' voice.

"I said that I liked him, Your Majesty. Though if he offended our ruler…"

"Your ruler the Duke is wicked," Matthias said sharply. "He was to be killed, this Jacob. Beheaded. No law supports this. I know the nickname granted him is His Madness."

"I had never—"

"Perhaps not a priest, but I've heard it even among the servants. I assure you it's the upmost truth."

The priest did not reply for awhile. "Are you saying, Your Majesty, that you side with Jacob?"

"I am saying I only want justice for both parties. I am Prince, my father will allow my judgment."

Liar.

"Well, I continue on my search," Matthias said. "If you hear anything of Jacob, please let me know."

The priest mumbled a farewell.

Slowly Mimi rose to her feet, heart pounding. It was almost funny, how close Matthias had been to Jacob and had not even known. Now all she had to do was wait for Matthias to leave and…

"Mimi."

The voice was familiar, familiar enough to stab into her heart. Slowly, trying not to scream, she turned around. How could she have been so stupid?

"You came back," Prince Matthias said sternly. He stood not far away, his handsome eyes behind his glasses filled with hatred. "I should have known. Did you come to change your answer?"

She shook her head. "I won't marry you." She had to run. But where?

Matthias stepped closer.

She bolted. It was a stupid decision, but she had no other idea. And for a moment it seemed she would make it. She darted past him, to the side, startling enough to make him pause.

Out of the corner of her eye she could see Jacob in the doorway of the church.

But Matthias was faster, faster than she had thought possible judging from his bookish ways.

He soon grabbed her arm and no matter how she struggled he would not let go.


	35. In Which They Return to the Manor

She should have screamed. In fact, it was a thought that passed through Mimi's mind immediately, but she was still not entirely used to being captured. All she could do was kick, twist, and be amazed at Matthias' strength.

"Mimi!" he cried. "It's me! Prince Matthias! Calm down!"

She did not want to calm down. She wanted to spit into his eyes. But she kept that back and wished she knew a useful spell for sending him away, preferably on fire. "Let go of me!"

"Where have you been?" he demanded. His grip around her wrists was painful. "You disappeared. We had a single fight, and I don't see you for days!"

"Get away from her!"

Matthias jerked back, and Mimi fell to the ground. Her wrists stung.

Jacob had moved from the church's doorway. His eyes gleamed, and one hand squeezed the collar of Matthias' stupid royal shirt. Jacob was bigger than the prince, with a body more suited to pushing people around. How much did Matthias envy that.

But the surprise in Matthias' eyes did not last long. "Get away from me," he demanded.

"So you can torment another girl?"

"I was not tormenting her, we know each other. We are to be married, in fact."

"No, we're not!" Mimi shouted.

Both men seemed to remember she was there. With a final glare Jacob let go of Matthias and helped Mimi to her feet. "She says she's not marrying you."

Matthias' mouth thinned considerably before he spoke. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Some prince or another. Not even the Prince Regent. Someone entirely meaningless to me."

That was only going to make Matthias mad. "Shush," Mimi whispered to Jacob.

"Guards!" Matthias suddenly shouted.

Mimi's first instinct was to laugh. She had never seen Matthias with guards, and the city did not seem particularly dangerous. Was he so afraid as to travel with guards when he was away from the manor?

Apparently he was. A turn of her head revealed two massive guards trudging across her yard. They must have been waiting.

"You are such an idiot," she murmured to Jacob.

Matthias looked to her, mouth trying to copy a smile. "Mimi, please. What's gotten into you? I'm going to make this stranger unhand you, he will be arrested, and then we will be returning to the manor. I promise, as soon as we can, we'll be heading for the capital and our wedding."

She stared at him, dumbfounded. Was this supposed to be romantic? Had she not thrown the ring he had given her? "No!"

He sighed. "I see your curse has confused you. You were upset with me. You threw away the ring I gave you. But I still have it. Back at the manor. I forgive you, Mimi. I love you."

She took a step back, pulling Jacob with her. "I don't want anything to do with you. You're a monster. I hate you."

"You heard her," said Jacob. "She doesn't want to have anything to do with you."

Any semblance of a smile vanished, and his eyes grew cold. "You do not speak that way to me. I don't think you were ever under a curse."

The guards were there. Mimi could hear their breathing as they awaited instructions. Idiots.

"Seize this insolent fool," Matthias commanded. "Take him back to the manor, and I will tell of his crime to the Duke."

In a flash they had Jacob with his hands bound behind his back.

"Let him go!" Mimi shrieked, but Matthias once again took hold of her wrists.

"We're going back to the manor," he said tersely.

* * *

He led her through the front door of the manor, a gesture that otherwise would have been an honor for only guests of the Duke if she hadn't been so fit to kill. She refused to look at the Prince, and eventually he gave up trying to talk to her.

She received plenty of stares. Here was the Prince with some wild-haired girl and neither of them looked happy. She was amazed at how many of them she recognized, familiar faces that had crossed in and out of the kitchen. She could even put names with faces. Yet they had no idea who she was.

There wasn't enough room in her thoughts to care about that. She wanted to know where Jacob had been taken. He had not supposed to return to the manor. He was supposed to be far, far away, opening an inn or something. Now he was back and once again captured and it was all her fault.

No, it wasn't. He had chosen to return. Jacob deserved everything that had happened to him.

Matthias did not speak again they had reached a room and he had shut them inside of it. The library, all big, cozy, and filled with books. It should have been a happy place, but for all Mimi cared it could have been a chicken coop. She stood still while he closed the door, seeing no point in moving while his back was turned. What was he going to try next? Resuming their romance?

Indeed, he turned back to her with the shy smile that only days before had stolen her heart. Confused, innocent, so sweet… it was difficult to believe the person in front of her could wear such a smile.

"Mimi," he said gently, "Talk to me. Tell me what's going on."

She didn't want to look at him, but she couldn't help it. She had been raised to like people, all the kind and interesting men and women who journeyed so far for her father's help. Why was it so difficult for some people to not be that way of so many others? Why had Lavender, Matthias, and even the Duke entered her life? All trying to wreck the lives of so many good people? And there Matthias stood, smiling and speaking softly and acting like nothing was wrong, that there had been no scene in the church yard, that he could just make all the bad go way, that she hadn't overheard what he was trying to do.

But he did not know she had overheard his plot to have the Duke arrested. He had no idea of what she knew.

It felt rather good to have power over someone.

"What's going on?" she repeated with calmness that surprised eve herself. "You dare to ask me what's going on? You were there! I'm quite sure that was you who grabbed me and would not let go!"

"I hurt you?" he asked innocently.

She rolled her eyes and held up her wrists, still red from his grip. "Oh, yeah. Good strong hands you have there. A wondrous way to treat a lady. Unless I'm not a lady. Unless I'm just a servant."

"I didn't mean to hurt—"

"Like you didn't mean to have that man arrested." She walked over to a chair and slumped into it. She felt mean and slightly obnoxious. They were marvelous feelings. "You are the worst kind of prince, Matthias. It's such a good thing you are not the heir to the throne."

He gave a nervous laugh, an agreement to finish his charade. "Did you not hear what he said to me?"

"Yes, I was right there and I'm not deaf, Matthias. You chased me down and grabbed me. You did not let go even when I demanded it. You deserved everything he said to you."

He took a deep breath, then crossed the floor to her. "I did nothing wrong. We're going to be married."

She met his eyes. They were weak, not beautiful. "No. We. Are. Not."

His second deep breath was held for a long time before he spoke. "I love you. I'm going to take you back to the capital. We will be married. I'll see that you are freed from your spell—"

Spell? She laughed, good and long and hard while Matthias only watched in amazement. "My spell is no longer a problem. You hardly even noticed you can see me in daylight. I'm afraid I no longer need your assistance in that regard."

"It's good, then—"

"And we both know that even if we were to be married, we would not be leaving the city. You want this duchy. You wanted His Madness the Duke to kill Jacob so you could complain of him to your father and steal his title."

Matthias' face paled, and he stepped back. "That's not—"

Interrupting him was becoming addictive. Her smile was so broad it hurt her face, and her speech came faster and faster. "You wanted to steal the title of an insignificant Duke who is not even rightly in the position. He murdered the real duke years ago. You are incapable of stealing from a true duke. If you really wanted something, you would steal from your older brothers. But you can't. You're even afraid of that. Because you're a coward, Matthias. A coward who slinks around snatching little things. I imagine you fell in love with me because I was a pretty enchanted girl, not even a princess. You probably thought I would love you madly if you rescued me."

She couldn't even scream as the blow came, a sharp pain right across her face.

"Step away from her!"

For a wild moment she thought it was Jacob, somehow escaped from the guards.

"Who are you?" Matthias' voice demanded.

Blinking away tears of pain and surprise, Mimi looked up.

Blake stood in the doorway, handsome and human Blake, and next to him was the priest.

"He's the real Duke," the priest said proudly.


	36. In Which Michael Learns All

Matthias seemed incapable of speech. He stared at Blake, mouth ajar.

Mimi didn't waste a moment. She flew up from the chair and ran to Blake's arms. He hugged her. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. She felt like she was going to tear up again. "I'm fine. He didn't do anything. He just hit me."

"I know. I saw. That's not nothing."

"The real duke," Matthias echoed softly. He barely noticed that Mimi had moved. "I don't understand. That can't be. The family was killed."

"No, they weren't," said the priest. "The last one stands before you."

Matthias turned his attention to the priest. His eyes all but blazed. Mimi had never imagined him looking so angry. "You're a liar!"

"You dare to call a man of God a liar?" Blake demanded. "This man remembers me from my childhood. He did everything for my family."

"I thought he was dead," the priest said. "But then he came today, just before you."

"How did you get in here?"

The priest laughed. "I'm a priest. I'm welcome everywhere."

Matthias' gaze dropped to the floor. He was like a child having a temper tantrum. "They're all dead because I killed the remaining member of the family!"

Mimi felt Blake let go of her, but she didn't care. Matthias was in front of her, the Matthias she had thought she had loved, confessing to a murder.

"Eugen," Blake said softly. "You killed Eugen."

Matthias looked smaller than she had ever seen him. His breath came in short and furious bursts like he was attempting to hold back a scream. He was caught. He was in a position he could not control. "Your Duke would have had him killed."

Blake stepped forward, pushing Mimi aside as he did. "I can't believe you killed him. He was my brother."

"I thought they were all dead," Matthias said, seemingy to himself. "There weren't supposed to be anymore. I came here and I thought they were all dead. I was going to reveal it."

"You were going to get a madman in trouble for killing a cook!" Mimi shouted. "You spoiled, selfish—" she couldn't think of any words bad enough.

Matthias clearly had no idea what his next moves were to be. Blake was moving toward him, he had the surprised of his life… Like Mimi had done not so long before, he darted forward.

And just like how Matthias had caught Mimi, Blake caught him. Life as a squirrel had done much for his reflexes. He shoved him to the floor, arms pinned behind his back.

It took a moment for what had just happened to sink in. Blake had just captured the Prince, the Duke's royal visitor. This would set every guard in the manor on them.

"Lock us in here!" Blake instructed her. "I got him." He let out a mad laugh. "For the first time I know what I'm doing!"

"For the time being," Mimi muttered. She dashed from the library, the priest behind her, and slammed the door. "I don't know how to lock it."

"A servant will have the key," the priest said. "Find one. I need to find someone to tell. People who still remember the old duke." But he grabbed her hand and stared into her eyes. "Are you his? Or are you with the other young man?"

A priest was thinking such things at a time like this? Yet she couldn't help but smile. "His name his Jacob." Then she released her hand and left.

He could figure it out on his own.

How long would it be before someone stopped her? She might be a guest of the prince but soon everyone would wonder why she was running through the halls sans prince. She forced herself into a slow walk. She had to look normal, like she belonged there.

She barely knew the servants. How could she, a stranger, run up to one and demand a key to lock their prince into the library? Why was this her instruction, anyway? Couldn't Blake just kill the prince and get it all over with? Though killing the prince of the land would certainly get them all in trouble.

Lucy. Of course. Lucy knew everyone, and Mimi just mentioned Blake's name. Where would Lucy be? Sneaking food or gossiping in the kitchen, if Mimi's guess was correct.

The kitchen was no longer the entertaining place it was. The only ones there were Michael, Wilhelm, and to Mimi's happiness Lucy. They were talking, their faces dark, and as she neared them she thought she heard mention of Jacob. They all looked up in surprised when she entered the kitchen.

No time to reintroduce herself as the pet goose. She stared right at Lucy. "Lucy!"

Lucy's pretty eyes widened. "Yes?"

"Do you know who has akey to the library?"

She looked at the other two, who looked as flummoxed as her. "I do. For when I clean."

Mimi locked eyes with her. She could not make this seem like a lie or a joke. "Blake needs it."

For what seemed like an eternity Lucy said nothing. She did not even move. Before Mimi could repeat herself she said "Did you say Blake?"

Mimi nodded. "Lord Blake. You know whom I am talking about."

Michael dropped the knife he had been holding. "Who are you?"

"That goose of Jacob's. My name is Mimi. Do you have the key with you?"

Lucy was already pulling a ring of keys from her pocket. "Blake is here?" She didn't seem to comprehend the line about the goose, though Michael had already echoed it loudly.

"Yes, Blake is here. He… he sort of needs to lock up the Prince."

All three just stared at her. Mimi wanted to scream. "Will someone please just go with Lucy to the library?"

"Wilhelm, go," Michael said, and a very confused darted after a Lucy who finally seemed capable of moving. Then his eyes met Mimi's. "Who are you?"

She didn't want to repeat it. It was far too stupid. "Michael, my name is Mimi. If you remember that goose… that was me."

He continued to stare. "I don't understand."

"I was turned into a goose. A spell. Jacob was helping me. He was the only one who could understand me."

"What are you doing here?"

"Lord Blake is alive. He's here in the manor. Now. I think Jacob is, too. I think they locked him up again."

"Blake is dead," Michael said sternly. "Jacob was fortunate enough to somehow escape. Are you saying he's been captured?"

She nodded. "I mean, yes, Jacob was captured again. But no, Blake is not dead. He's alive and he's back."

"Does His Madness know?"

Good. Michael had believed her. "No, he doesn't. "

Michael nodded, then walked to a rack of knives and pulled out a small and slender paring knife. "Let's go."

"What's that for?"

He smiled. "I've always wanted to pick a lock."

No one seemed to think twice about Michael heading to what was now quite considered the dungeon. He was head cook, he could go where he liked. And the girl behind him could simply be a new servant he was training.

A guard was posted. Not Isaac. Mimi doubted Isaac had a job at this place anymore. Apparently Matthias was no good at selecting guards, for this one opened the door right away, leaving Mimi to wonder if he would have unlocked the cell if the had asked.

Jacob looked so much different than the last time Mimi had seen him there, and it wasn't just the physical change. He was smiling, and it was not the fresh smile of someone in despair who had just been rescued. He had been waiting for her.

"Jacob!" Mimi ran past Michael, who was once again confused, and took Jacob's hand through the bars. "You really need to stop getting yourself in trouble."

"What can I say, I like this place. I see you brought Michael. Good choice. Where is your stupid prince?"

She laughed. "Blake has him."

"Good for the squirrel."

"Who are you?" Michael demanded.

"Jacob," Jacob said. "I just look a little different, but I promise you I can quote every ingredient you put into your famous meat pie. Shredded chicken, egg, basil—"

"More spells," Michael muttered. He stuck the paring knife into the lock. He was really quite good.

As he worked, Jacob explained everything. The spell, coming here, the Duke, Blake, and finally Matthias. By the time the door sprang open, Michael seemed to be working only by muscle memory.

But he didn't seem against believing any of it. Even in the dark his face registered shock. "I guess I'm just happy you're not dead."

"You can't release the prisoner!" the guard screamed as they strode passed him.

"By order of the Prince," Mimi declared.

That seemed to shut him up. Dummy.

"Where's Blake?" Jacob asked.

"The library."

"The library? Why there?"

Mimi shrugged. "It's where they took me."

"Good enough." He turned toward the kitchen.

"That's not the library!"

"I'd rather have a weapon, and I'm best with knives."


	37. In Which Knives Are Involved

_I'm attempting to have this story finished this week... partly because I'm getting married this Saturday. =D_

_Also, I'm not sure how I feel about the confrontation scene in here. I feel like I just have a bunch of people wandering around. Any suggestions?_

* * *

The kitchen was empty. No innocent wandering souls sneaking in, and Mimi bitterly imagined a manor-wide fear of Prince Matthias. Just as well. Jacob paused in the doorway, quietly observing the room. For a moment Mimi thought he would say something, but the moment ended soon enough and he was on the other side of the room examining knives for the preferred cut or whatever mattered to cooks. Mimi's first concern was what he intended on doing with that knife once he saw Prince Matthias and the second was that she didn't care.

"This one will do," he said at last, holding up a blade that struck Mimi as more suited to chopping vegetables than anything. "Now I just need to…" His voice faded behind Michael's loud gasp from the doorway.

"Your Lordship." Michael's eyes were downcast, his voice humble as he spoke with all the reverence expected of a servant.

The Duke stood just outside the kitchen, somehow much more impressive than the last time Mimi had seen him. Fine clothing and the light of day were good for him, and the fury on his face almost sent Mimi into an awkward curtsey and mention of His Lordship. Not His Madness. It was all she could do to remember this man was an imposter, but when the thought arrived it was strong. She gritted her teeth and took a step closer to Michael. She just didn't trust Jacob with a vegetable knife.

His Madness did not strike her as crazy as gossip had suggested. For all the soft luxury that had clearly occupied him for the past few years he appeared as ruthless as the man who had slaughtered an entire family. His mouth was set in a firm frown and his fists were clenched.

"You," he all but whispered.

"Sir—" Michael began.

The Duke did not appear to hear him. His eyes were on Jacob. There was of course no recognition, just anger and something that just might have been fear. "I heard a rumor. Who are you?"

Jacob did not flinch, though the hand with the knife dropped to his side. "No one of your concern."

Only of enough concern to have executed.

"You returned!" The Duke shouted suddenly, stepping with force into the kitchen. "You were all supposed to be dead! It was supposed to be over." With that came the same madness he had shown that night in his chambers, an insane fear of memories. "You can't be here."

"We all know who you are," Michael said. "Everyone in this building knows exactly what you are and what you did."

The Duke did not so much as look at him.

Jacob lifted the knife, face calm. "Don't come any closer."

The Duke stopped short. "Leave this place. It's mine. My title."

"The Prince wants your title," Mimi said.

The Duke looked at her for the first time, confusion mixed with curiosity. "The Prince is my honored guest. The duchy is mine, no one else's. My bloodline…"

"The Prince doesn't care," Jacob said.

"He plans to have you arrested." Mimi spoke almost wildly. What were they hoping for? The alliance of His Madness? "He wants this land for his own."

"The Prince would never—" the Duke began.

"He would." The knife twisted around and around in Jacob's hand. What was he thinking? What was it like being in the same room with the person who had wanted him beheaded over food?

The Duke's face went red. "Guards!"

Mimi should have expected His Madness wouldn't have been unaccompanied. As fast she could she slipped past the Duke, past a startled Michael, and into the hall. There the guards were already moving at call. They looked at her with only the most mild of interest until she stopped in front of them.

"The Duke is in danger," she said flatly. "He sent me. Go to the library. There is a plot against the Duke. Prince Matthias is involved." Hopefully there would be some internal conflict between loyalty to the Duke and the higher authority of the Prince. Anything that would get them out of the way.

It worked.

"You're certain of this?" one guard asked.

Mimi nodded. It felt good to be giving instructions. "We have to go now. The Duke demands the intruder be dealt with."

Walking to the library was a rush. Mimi's heart pounded with every step, and a small part of her mind was blissfully thinking this was the most excitement she had ever been through. Nothing like this had ever happened at home. In no time at all she and the guards were at the library door. An already open library door.

Guards had already discovered the problem. In the center of the room, making himself the most important feature, was Prince Matthias, a triumphant smile etched across his bleeding face—Mimi suspected a broken nose, and that would serve him right. He held Lucy's hands behind her back. She looked confused and terrified… but mostly she looked at Blake. He stared back at her, restrained by a guard. Another one had Wilhelm. From the looks of things it had all happened only minutes before.

They were only minutes too late.

Prince Matthias gave an impressively realistic sigh of relief. "You heard. Thank heavens, you heard. These men here, they have a plot against the Duke. They want him dead. This man…" He pointed his free hand at Blake. "This man is planning to kill him and take over."

"That's a lie!" Mimi shouted.

But all attention was on Prince Matthias.

Mimi closed her eyes. It was only a matter of seconds before Matthias would blame her, too. A spell. But she knew too few, nothing remotely impressive. She had left too soon. She should have made her father teach her everything he knew before she had attempted something so foolhardy as running away. There had to be something…

For all she knew, it was the precarious balance of a pile of books somewhere and she was just as useless at magic as she had always thought. But books collapsed to the floor, and Matthias jerked around.

"The Duke knows about you!" Mimi shouted. "We told him everything."

After that, she didn't know what she was doing. The door was open, she had yet to be accused of anything, and perhaps running away was her new reaction. She turned and fled.

Matthias was right after her. She heard the sound of his footsteps, of people being shoved aside, and his desperate call for her to stop. She ran faster. If earlier were any sign of speed, she needed all she could.

Then she saw him. Jacob rounding the corner ahead, still holding that stupid vegetable knife. Michael followed him, expression hard to read beyond a steady smile. And with them, face still red with anger, was the Duke. Something good had happened there. Maybe the Duke had listened.

It still didn't change what he had done.

Mimi skidded to a stop.

"Mimi, wait, you can't—" Matthias' voice broke off. Through the corner of her eye Mimi could see him stopping as well, his eyes wide at the sight of the Duke. His chest rose once for breath before he spoke. "Silus."

Mimi wondered how much she should appreciate the in-between position she was in.

"That's him," Jacob said simply.

The Duke stared wildly at Matthias. "Why are you here?" He asked like a child would ask.

"As your guest, of course." Matthias tried to speak smoothly, but Mimi could hear the quiver of fear in his voice.

"You want me arrested." The Duke pushed Jacob aside as he moved close to Matthias.

Mimi quietly moved to the side of the hall.

"Silus, I don't know what you have heard—"

"They said you wanted me arrested!" The Duke screamed as he gestured wildly at Jacob and Michael. "That you would say I was wrong for punishing my own servants, that I did wrong, that I should not be here!"

A smile slowly spread over Jacob's face.

Any pretense Matthias held vanished. "My father would not approve of your actions. Beheading servants."

"I don't care what the King thinks. I've kept this duchy. It is mine. No one can take it."

"It's not yours." The fear was gone. Matthias strode forward, ever so much a prince. "I know what you've done. Everyone in this city knows what you have done. Your claim to this title was too far away to wait for. You had everyone in this house killed."

The Duke smiled. It looked strange on his face, out of place, and Mimi finally saw the man capable of doing what he had done. "And your father did nothing."

"I don't care what my father didn't do. This is about what I am doing. You murdered the real duke—"

"So did you." Mimi put her eyes straight on Matthias. Oh, how she hated him. Every new moment she spent in his presence she hated him more. "You killed Eugen. He was supposed to be here. Not either of you."

The Duke laughed, a deep, full laugh. "So you killed as well."

The next few moments were a rush of motion. The Duke with impressive skill grabbed for the knife in Jacob's hand. Jacob twisted away, and the knife fell to the floor. Matthias moved fast, and his hand touched the knife as Jacob's did. Matthias' hand was quicker.

"You did this!" Matthias hissed as he pulled the knife to him. "You did all of this."

He swung the knife. Jacob darted to the side. Matthias turned to follow him. A flash of metal, a choke of pain…

The Duke collapsed to the floor, knife in his side.

Mimi swallowed back a scream of her own.

Jacob stood against the wall, eyes on Matthias, who could only stare in horror at the body on the floor.

And behind them were the guards who had followed the Prince. Guards who had seen everything.


	38. In Which the Story Ends

_Sorry for the delay, but the wedding did get in the way. _

* * *

It wasn't quite as if the entire manor wanted to celebrate. Silas, the Duke, His Madness, or whatever anyone had ever called him had of course not been popular. Even so, a death tended to cast a grim aura, no matter whose it was. Yet it wasn't as if the entire manor wanted to mourn, either. The news of the accidental death spread like wildfire and within half an hour everyone knew. Not only was the Duke dead, but his killer had been none other than the Prince himself. And even if little true loyalty was had for the Duke, apparently none existed for Prince Matthias, especially when his actions had been so tragically visible.

After all he had done and plotted, Prince Matthias had not intended to kill Silas. His face had been too startled, his body too shocked to fight much as Silas' guards took hold of him. He had shot one last glance, terrified and pleading, at Mimi as he was dragged from the room. She wondered if she should have pitied him, and for a moment she did; but that was a feeling that did not last long.

The Duke's body was moved last. It almost seemed as if no one wanted to touch it, but he had been the Duke if only illegally and temporarily and they couldn't very well leave a dead body lying around.

Mimi felt all but invisible during this. The attention was on Blake, who wide-eyed and timidly accepted all of it as the priest and Lucy chattered on about the truth of who he was. It may have been all the excitement over a murder and the arrest of a prince, but imaginations loved the idea of a long-lost duke and it did not take long before other servants of the house recognized him and the truth of the story just about everyone knew soon revealed itself.

Murder, betrayal, an ending worthy of any story Mimi had ever heard. The mix of emotions was strong, but as the news spread and rumors flew Mimi knew that in general all was good. Of course it was good, and could be nothing else. Blake was where he should be, Lucy never far from him. Prince Matthias was chained up, his father in the capital notified, and the city abuzz with theories of just what his punishment would be. The ideas were many and varied, and surely whatever happened would not be as good as even the dullest imagination desired.

And all Mimi could do was sleep.

It was a silly action that surprised even her, but as soon as the chaos showed the faintest sign of relaxing fatigue struck her like a fist. She was given a bed, a nice one in which she was expected to be, and she slept deep. No dreams. She had not realized just how tired she had been.

Late morning light was what awoke her. She lay still for a few minutes. Like a list of chores to do or plants to gather lay before her what she needed to do. Except her list had nothing but going home. There was nothing else left to do. For so many years she had desired nothing more than that.

She felt different. No longer a goose, no longer a servant girl. She was not even sure she was just a sorcerer's daughter. Her hair properly brushed until it was the same yellow so many had admired and wearing a dress Lucy had found for her, she instinctively made her way to the kitchen.

"Ah," said Michael with a laugh in his voice, not even turning from the vegetables he chopped. "Our goose girl. Back here again."

She laughed nervously. "I feel like I should be hiding in the corner still. So you believe that's who I was?"

"No reason not to. Jacob explained everything."

Jacob. She closed her eyes for the briefest moment. She had to talk to Jacob.

"He's not here, by the way."

She stared at Michael. "In the manor?"

"He's leaving. Shortly, I believe."

"Leaving for where?" But she didn't wait for an answer and instead ran from the kitchen.

She almost trampled Blake in her dash. He steadied her, his hands on her shoulders. He looked good. The clothes he wore did not fit, but they were fine and respectable and certainly suited his status more than being a squirrel had. "Whoa! And where do you think you're going?"

She blushed as manners overtook her. It would be prudent of her to speak to Blake as well. "You look well, Blake. This place suits you."

He tilted his head and smiled, and for a second he might as well have been a squirrel again. "It's… it's strange to be home. But good. I like it." He moved his hands from her shoulders to her hands and squeezed them. "Thank-you."

She squeezed back. "You're the one I must thank. You really were my knight."

He laughed. "I'm not sure what I did exactly, but thank-you just the same. I think my actions were based upon everyone else and pure dumb luck."

"You need a story of heroics at this time. People like stories. You don't even have to have the squirrel in it. Pick another animal, if you like."

"I can't think of anything more ferocious than a squirrel!" He laughed again. "But if I can help you with anything else, ask. I liked attempting to be your knight."

The reason for her rush. But how to make it a formal request? Well, who cared? "Do you know where Jacob is going?"

"I don't know. Just that he was leaving. I invited him to stay. I told him he didn't even have to be a cook if he didn't want to. I thought he liked it here."

"Where is he?"

Blake nodded vaguely through the walls. "The stable, I believe. Getting a horse. If nothing else, he should be allowed a horse."

The horse Mimi found Jacob with was certainly a fine one, and she wondered just what horses His Madness had kept. He was speaking to the stableman, who even then eyed him with amazement and confusion, when Mimi entered the yard.

Jacob cut his conversation short as he turned to look at her. "Mimi. You're finally up."

How dare he blame her for sleeping in. Would he have left without speaking to her? She took a deep breath as she vainly tried to gather her thoughts. "You're leaving?"

He nodded and twisted the horse's reins around his wrist. "Yes, I am. Very soon. No better time for it."

"Better time? Better than when you were to be executed?"

"Well, besides, that." He flashed a smile at her.

She did not smile back. "Blake…. He said he invited you to stay. Why aren't you staying?"

He shrugged. "The inn idea. Find my parents. This really is the perfect time for that."

"Oh. Of course." She crossed the yard and stroked the horse's mane. "What about me?"

His hesitation was much too long. "What about you?"

She hit him. Without thinking about it, she lifted her hand and struck him hard across the face. "You're going to leave me here? You're just going to leave and forget about me?"

The expression on his face was pure shock, and he brought his hand to his stinging cheek. "What was that for?"

"Don't make me hit you again." But she wanted to. It was all she could do to not hit him again, but clearly that action only made him ask silly questions. "Do you even love me?"

Out of the corner of her eye she noticed the very uncomfortable-looking stableman slip back into the stable. Good. No witnesses.

"Why would you ask me that?" Jacob's voice was meek and bewildered.

The desire to scream replaced the desire to hit. "Do you? You said all these things about everything you felt for me, and yet nothing. You were too much of a coward to talk to my father. You left me at my father's house. You…" She gasped for air and realized she was crying.

"I do love you, Mimi."

The sentence was a knife, sharp enough to make her listen. She wiped the tears from her eyes and stared at him. "What?"

His eyes were locked on her. "I do love you. I swear. More than anything. And I would marry you. And I did speak to your father. Right after you asked me to."

"You did?" She grabbed his hand. "What did he say?"

He hesitated again, then moved his mouth to speak. Nothing came out.

"I don't care. I don't care what my father says. I'll come with you. I already ran away from my father, I might as well keep going."

"No. I can't take you away from all that. You just got your home back. A magic castle. That's yours. You can go back, study magic, everything you deserve. You don't want to be running an inn."

She had no response. She could only see his face, watching her, blathering on about all this stuff that was true. Was it true? Her hands collapsed, dropping his, and she turned from the yard.

"Mimi, wait!"

Still no response. She broke into a run, feet pounding across the grass she had crossed with Prince Matthias, as a goose, until she reached the manor. She ran to the room she had slept in and fell into the bed. There, her voice muffled by the bedclothes, she finally let herself scream.

Was Jacob right? Was she just supposed to go back home? Her father, the enchanted castle, the life Lavender had stolen from her. And what? Read books, study plants, maybe even magic.

The screaming felt good. It was out of her lungs, and she felt calmer. Sadder.

Her father had said no. Jacob had asked to marry her, and her father had said no. Was she supposed to be angry with her father? She couldn't decide. If she were angry at him, what good would going home be?

But she eventually had to tell her father where she was. He deserved that much. He had risked so much for her.

She could stay here, with Blake. And do what? Be a cook? A servant? Do nothing?

She rose from the bed, anger returning. Not at her father. Once more at Jacob. It seemed she was always mad at Jacob. He was wrong. Before Lavender had made her a servant, she had been nothing but a sorcerer's daughter. A little girl waiting to grow up and find someone to take care of her. A prince to rescue her. Well, princes were useless. She didn't need a prince, she didn't need a castle.

She needed Jacob.

And as if to enunciate that thought, the window of the room shattered.

She stared at the broken glass and the rather large rock lying among it, then carefully and quickly stepped around it on the way to the window.

There was Jacob on the ground beneath, looking up at her and panting. "Lucy said you were in this room."

She didn't know whether to laugh or still be mad at him. "Why didn't you just come knock?"

"You wouldn't have let me in."

Possibly. "Jacob, I have something to tell you."

"Same here. And I need to go first because I never told you what your father said."

"No," she said. "He told you know."

Jacob shook his head.

Mimi clenched the windowsill.

"He said it was entirely up to you."

"But…"

"He gave his blessing. As long as you said yes."

"But…" Was there anything else to say?

"I already told you the reasons I didn't ask you. But I had to explain everything."

The laugh came out. "So you broke a window?"

He nodded. He looked more terrified than she had ever seen him. Even when he had been threatened with death. "What did you have to tell me?"

She laughed again. "I disagree with your reasons."

Several more rocks fell from his hand. "You do?"

"I will be perfectly happy being your wife and running an inn with you. In fact, it's what I want. Just a minute." She didn't wait for a response. She had to get downstairs.

Funny how running could feel like flying.

She didn't make it outside, or even downstairs. Jacob met her on the staircase. She jumped into his arms. The kiss was worth of any story she had ever heard, perhaps more.

"All right, then," he said when they finally broke part. "Let's do this. Miss Goose, will you marry me?"

"That's my second proposal in a week."

"I think mine's better. Your answer?"

She just kissed him again.

**The End**


End file.
